Yuki
by mirai aria
Summary: Shuichi dies in an accident, leaving Eiri and everyone behind but is there more? Chapter 22 [Blood on my Hands] What truth can there be in nightmarish dreams?
1. Dead on Arrival

Disclaimer: Gravitation does not belong to me. Ne, I doubt Gravitation would be as good if I owned it anyway. I'm not making any money out of this either and am just borrowing its characters….

One: Dead on Arrival

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He was running. 

The rhythmic sound of his feet moving one after another was almost relief for him as he ran, trying hard not to get lost in the thoughts that threatened to overwhelm him any moment. He knew he couldn't break down right now, at least not until he was sure he_ was okay. _

He tilted his head to his right, stealing a glance of the precious angel lying brokenly on the stretcher, before turning away once more and fixing his gaze on the road ahead of them. 

He_ was going to be all right and he told himself just this over and over again, in hopes of convincing himself even for just a few precious moments. He had to be calm. He had to face this with a clear mind._

It was a fact; after all they'd been through, after all he_'d done, _he_ couldn't just die._

If he died, then what had it all been for then? 

"You'll be alright," he heard someone say and when he turned to his right he was reminded that he was hardly alone in this. On the other side of the stretcher was Nakano Hiro — Bad Luck's guitarist and Shuichi's best friend. 

This wasn't supposed to happen. 

He turned his head hesitantly to his right and drank in his lover's features. Shuichi's face was pale and his eyes were closed but there was a faint smile on the boy's lips, one that, despite the situation, brought a smile, though melancholy, to the jaded novelist's face. Shuichi looked perfectly fine, as if he was merely sleeping. True, there were bruises, marks of blue and purple and sometimes red, on his forehead, cheeks and lips but those were faint and almost non-existent compared to his overall features. 

Eiri had found out long ago that to prevent himself from hurting he had to learn to ignore and overlook certain things. It was a coward's way out, but it was what had allowed him to survive day after day before a certain pink ball of energy came into his life.

Shuichi had taught him how to live once more, reminded him of what he once was and at the same time gave him something to protect and a reason to love.

Shuichi couldn't die.

There was a long beep – a long and painful beep that jolted Eiri from his thoughts and dragged him back to reality. Confused, he suddenly realized they had come to a halt. 

"Dead on Arrival," the words were uttered in a monotonous voice, void of emotion. Those three words tore through him, like bullet across his chest. Three words and it meant everything_._

It meant his life. Those three words had shattered whatever little hope he had. Shuichi couldn't be all right any more, not when he'd already died before he could receive proper help. He couldn't and wouldn't fool himself anymore. It would drive him insane, he knew, and Shuichi wouldn't have wanted that.

"Dead on Arrival," he whispered and when he turned to where the boy was he saw that they had covered him and his face with a white blanket. 

"Dead."

Eiri's eyes shot open and he blinked rapidly at the dark ceiling above him. Beads of sweat were running down his forehead, trailing down to his cheek while his hair was damp with it. He sat up and rubbed his eyes, fixing his gaze on the glowing screen of the laptop across the room and the blinking cursor on it.

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--Dead on Arrival…

He ran a hand through his damp hair and smiled mockingly, feeling foolish suddenly. With his right hand reaching for the pack of cigarettes he'd left on the nightstand, he got off the bed. He lit a cigarette and took a long drag from it before saying out loud;

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" 'Dead on Arrival.'

Karl couldn't quite believe what he was hearing. Harel had been smiling at him just minutes ago, looking at him with those soulful blue eyes and moving her soft bruised lips to tell him she was going to be okay."

Eiri stopped and stared long and hard at his laptop before continuing as he padded towards it.

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"She had lifted those hands and placed a warm hand on his right cheek to trace the single scar there with her long, delicate fingers. She had told him, reassured him, she was going to be fine in the soft, loving voice she used in their lovemaking. It was the voice she used to tell him she loved him and it was, above all, sincere. 

She couldn't have been lying."

With a deep sigh and an emotionless face, he sat himself in front of the laptop and began typing what he had said earlier. For a few minutes, the dark room's silence was filled with the loud sound of his fingers moving over the keyboard to enter the words in his mind. When he was done and satisfied with what he had, he sat back and stared once more. 

Moments later, his mouth moved once more as he spoke in a dreamlike state. 

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"Karl stared incredulously at Birman, his cold black eyes pensive. 'Say that again,' he told him slowly, his words firm.

'I'm sorry Karl. We… did all we could. She's gone.'

He cut them off, not caring if he sounded like a five-year-old as he did so. 'No! Say it… Say it!' He cried, drawing back before bringing his hands to his head. 'She can't be dead….No..,' he hissed before clamping his eyes shut and sliding down the wall behind him.

'…Not her... not…. after.. all he's done… all he's put up to pull me out of despair.. to save me…' "

He trailed away, realizing he had just referred to Harel as a '_he'_ when she definitely was a '_she'_. 

Eiri smiled and closed his eyes. "Brat, dammit… I'm working here… stop bothering me—" he told the room as if the pink-haired vocalist were standing behind him, "—go listen to one of those CDs…."

"… just… leave me alone, okay?" His lips trembled and he cursed mildly when he felt something wet rolling down his cheeks.

He sat up once more and began typing what he'd made up earlier, burying himself into the story and letting his pain out in the words. 

Harel was dead, just as he'd planned when he wrote the draft for this book six months ago. Karl would find someone else, there would be another big problem and later on Yuki would have to decide whether to kill off that someone else, or Karl, by the end of the book. Either way, it would come to no surprise if he ended the book with yet another tragic ending. It was his style, anyway.

What made him wonder was if he could find someone else. 

He…hoped not.

A/N: Hopefully, I didn't screw anything up and got Yuki in-character there. Hopefully. I've never seen the anime yet but I'm asking someone to download subs for me… so this is basing off from what I've read online and the manga itself.. If I get enough reviews, I'll continue so.. uh.. review? :-D Comments and criticisms are welcome and flames… will be dealt with.. uh.. properly? 


	2. Dreamer, Lover, Stranger

Disclaimer: Gravitation does not belong to me. Ne, I doubt Gravitation would be as good if I owned it anyway. I'm not making any money out of this either and am just borrowing its characters….

A/N: And I'm putting response to the lovely people who reviewed this fanfic (_THANK YOU!)_ right here… as well as my random babble…

PurpleBitch– Uh… I'm not sure if this won't turn out as one of those Mary Sue fanfics… at least it won't be eecky! At least… I hope not. But, saying more than that will... ruin stuff? Oh um… reading this chapter will definitely answer your question, I think.. XD And I know I'm such a fan of ShuichixYuki fanfics! Ahh!

FFgal – I'm just glad how the descriptions came out in the last chapter! I know I'm not so good with descriptions myself, but oh… when inspiration strikes and when the muses are good it just works! I'm not sure about this chapter though… _ As for the anime – _I actually spent half of the day watching **the**_ _anime before sitting down and writing this chapter!_ I'm so glad to have seen the anime (I got it yesterday, ooh.. bounce bounce! It was just awesome seeing Ryuichi going 'Pika Pika!')! Ne, I think though, I'll be basing this off more on the manga… loosely anyway. There's just _too_ many weird things happening in the manga…err… like big Panda-mechas wrecking havoc in the streets of New York… I think I'll sit down sometime to write down the differences between the anime and the manga… Wah, and giving long reviews (and replies XD) is fun ^^ 

Raven Lee Devonshire – Aiee… I'm glad you loved it ^_^! Here's the next chapter and I hope I'll be able to finish it…XD

Ooh.. um.. long replies up there. And long chapter down there. Sorry everyone, this is long and…. Full of *looks away* original characters. (Looks like it's going to be a Mary Sue afterall? XD) This chapter though, should give an idea where I'm headed…. Next chapter, according to my muses, should have Tohma, Yuki (Eiri *coughs*), Tatsuha, Ryuichi and basically the rest of the Gravi crew (Rage too maybe...) … unless ideas change. As a guideline, the first part is set more or less two months after Shuichi's death while the second part is set about a year and a half after the first part. Enjoy reading ^^;; (I hope people still read this after this chapter.. O_O)

Two: Dreamer, Lover, Stranger

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Long, drawn out breaths escaped his dried and cracking lips as he ran deeper into the thick darkness. Vaguely, he could hear the crunching of grass underneath his feet but whenever he stole glance down the path he was running on he saw nothing but the stagnant darkness.

The sound of engines roaring cut through the deafening silence that seemed to envelop him and he stopped and turned his head instinctively to where the sound came from, to his right.

"Wait…"

A speeding bright light rushed past him and a second later, before his brain could register the action, he was running and, by far, faster than he had been before in hopes of catching the bright light.

"Wait… please!"

He felt like he was one with the invisible wind that was running through his hair and teasing it as he ran and pushed himself to unbelievable limits. He dared not close any of his eyes in fear of losing sight of the bright light and already tears were welling in them.

"Wait… No… No!"

A loud screech caused him to gasp and at the edge of his sight he saw a thin line of neon purple out of nowhere. It was chasing the white light, like he was, but unlike him it was rapidly gaining in speed. It was not very long until it had caught up with the white light and, to his surprise, it became one with it.

"No…Wait…Wait!"

He reached a hand out into the darkness, wanting to grasp the fickle white light in his hands and hold it back from whatever the endless darkness had in store for it. He wanted to stop it, stop it its doomed flight to nothing, knowing and at the same time not knowing what was going to happen next.

His mind became muddled and his breathing became erratic as his body slowed down, unable to keep up with what he demanded from it anymore. 

"No."

His legs gave out and as if on cue, the bright white light he had been trying to chase crashed into an invincible wall in the darkness with a loud bang. Seconds later, all that was left of the bright light was the cold darkness it had crashed and disappeared into and the unmistakable sound of fire crackling and hissing.

"No… no... No! Wait! Wait!!…" 

He let out a sharp cry suddenly as a searing pain ran through his small body and his eyes clamped shut. 

"Please… wait… wait…"

Tears rolled freely down his cheeks as he opened his eyes and he let out a pained scream when a white nothingness exploded before him and engulfed him whole. His last thoughts seemed to have appeared in a text of fading black, against the blinding white, before him even as he said them out loud in his mind:

I'm not…. Wake me up…

...I want to wake up…

He woke with a start, gasping and panting while clutching at his chest. He swallowed hard before staring up at the ceiling above him. For a few minutes, the only sound that came from him was the sound of his ragged breathing as he struggled to calm himself down and have a solid footing of reality. 

"It's just a dream…" he whispered slowly, sitting up, before running a hand through his damp hair. "Just a dream…" he assured himself before turning to his right and smiling when he caught his reflection in the full-length mirror there. 

He looked so disheveled, even in the darkness he could see himself clearly, with his reddish-brown hair in an unruly mess, his face glistening with sweat and matted with hair and his clothes looking very much 'slept-in'. Every bit of his appearance in the mirror told him he'd been thrashing in his bed while dreaming, which wasn't exactly a good thing from what doctors had told him.

He took a deep breath and pushed the sheets off him before sitting on the right side of his bed and slipping into his slippers. He reached for the lamp set on the drawer beside his bed and turned it on before walking towards one of the tightly curtained windows of his room. He drew the curtains open ever so slightly, just enough for him to have a peek of the world outside without letting moonlight flood into his dimly lit room. 

Curiously, he watched as the lights from the roads down below moved and flickered, almost wishing he could hear the sound of those vehicles, as they echoed along the near-empty streets, from where he was but knowing that just wasn't possible. At night, New York was still pretty much alive and he expected just as much from the city that never slept.

He liked to think of himself _now_ as like New York after midnight, alive but not as alive as it is at peak hours.

He liked to think his memories were like those many tiny lights that made up New York's impressive skyline and that there was a time when all those lights were lit, and _his_ skyline was shining brightly and beautifully with so much _life_. 

Briefly, he wondered if he'd stood at the same window before, marveling at the beauty of New York's skyline like he was now and, if so, then for how many times in the past. 

He sighed as he leaned against the window that separated him from the outside world, his palm pressed on the glass' smooth surface.

He just wished there was an easier way he could take to remember _everything_ he had lost. 

There was a slight creak, which his ears picked up all too easily, and without turning he was able to tell who it was that had just entered his room just by the soft voice that spoke afterwards.

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"Yuki…"

With a sigh, he turned around and gave the blonde young woman, standing at the doorway in her nightgown with an extremely worried look, a tender smile. "_Good Morning_, _Anne_," he greeted the woman in his slightly accented English. 

The woman gave him a smile and a nod before padding towards him and throwing her arms around him. "You had a nightmare, didn't you, Yuki?" she asked him in a soft whisper as she buried her head in his shoulder. He gave her a silent nod as he ran his hand through her long blonde hair and began stroking it.

Anne remained in his arms for a few minutes in silence before breaking away and planting a kiss on Yuki's forehead. Anne was taller than Yuki, by a few inches to be exact, and it became evident when she stood up straight, to her full height, in front of him.

"You shouldn't think too much, Yuki." Anne told him as she stared him in the eye with her intense emerald eyes. "Remember what the doctor said about stressing yourself?" she reminded him and he nodded silently before turning to window and opening his mouth.

"I… I just…" he started before closing his mouth and sighing. 

"Ne?" Anne asked, waiting for what Yuki wanted to say.

Yuki smiled and his face became wistful, "I just wish I could… remember everything." 

Anne nodded in understanding and she placed a hand on his shoulder. 

"You know…" he trailed away and thought for a while, "…like... how we spent New Years together, what we did… running through the streets of Kyoto in autumn… all that!"

He hung his head then before adding quietly, "I just… don't think I deserve you anymore, _Ai. _After having forgotten… _everything_… ne, it's just… makes me feel gui—"

"But you don't have to remember." Anne said softly before leaning forward and resting both of her hands on his shoulder and then her head. "You don't have to remember…. I _don't_ _need_ you to remember. All I need to know is…is if you love me _now." _She closed her eyes and slowly lowered her hands down to his waist to wrap them around it in a tight hug.

Yuki closed his eyes and leaned his had on hers, "Ne….. I do love you, _Ai._ Love you… so much. But—"

"Shh.." Anne whispered, placing a finger on his lips. "That's all I need to know, I told you. Yuki, ne… and me… I love you, for you... ne, no matter what. With, or without your memories…" she told him and he nodded, satisfied.

They remained like that in silence for a long while until Yuki spoke, his voice in a barely audible whisper.

"Ne… _Ai, _I just decided I want to go back to Japan and finish my studies there. Once I'm well enough to do so anyway…" He looked to his left, searching Anne's emerald eyes for a reaction. "Ne, how's that sound?" he asked again.

Soft laughter, almost music to Yuki's ears, came out of blonde's soft lips, "That sounds great!"

"I'm glad you think it is." Yuki said with a grin before winking at her.

"Ne, that way I won't have to leave _you_ behind when I go to one of those tournaments and conventions!" She nodded at herself, liking the idea of it all, "Ne, and you'll go to that private school near our place too!"

Yuki nodded, "Mmm!"

"But you'll have to get better still, though! But... we'll go back to Japan as soon as you are!" Anne paused and looked out of the window before continuing in dreamy voice, "And then… we can stay there all we want…"

"Ne… Anne." 

"Eh?"

"I…" he paused, hesitating, "I want to… learn more… playing the keyboard… a band maybe. That's… not a problem with you, right?"

Anne pulled him closer to her, "Nah… not at all, Yuki... not at all…"

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"I can't wait to go back to Japan! Get better and_ go back to Japan!"_

---

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"muku na mama de sarasarete

hanabira o chirasu hana no you ni

migaku houseki te no naka no

HIBI ni sae kizukihajime—"

The music stopped just as abruptly as the vocalist had stopped singing and the two other members of the three-member band turned to the raven-haired vocalist who stood unmoving at the center of the room.

"Sorry, sorry… I missed right there, I know." The raven-haired young man said, running a hand through his long, stark black hair with an apologetic look. He sighed and turned to the brunette behind the keyboards.

"Ne,_ Ryu-chan_,we should stop here, you look drained…" he said walking towards the brunette with a look of disapproval.

The brunette shook his head. "Mah… mah.. nah, Takumi, I'm okay, don't worry! Just a few more go's, I'm sure you'll be able to get it by then!" He smiled in an attempt to show his teammates he was fine but the action merely betrayed just how exhausted he was.

"Ah… _Chibi_, we stop here and that's that." Their guitarist said finally, "Ai will _chew_ our heads off if she finds out we're overworking her _beloved_ Yukito …"

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"Ruka!" the keyboardist cried in protest, cheeks reddening.

Takumi laughed, patting the shortest member of their group on the back, "Ruka has a point there. Eh, we're done for today then!" 

Yukito's shoulders slumped in defeat and he heaved a heavy sigh. "But… but…"

"Na, _chibi_," Ruka said, "The Festival isn't until… what? Almost two months from now-"

"It's one month, two weeks and two days, _Ruka-chan_." Yuki reminded before casting a pointed look at the redhead's direction. Ruka looked away, not wanting to meet the keyboardist's gaze.

"Eh… eh? Even so, nothing to get hyped about-! Come on, we have a lot of time to practice!" 

Takumi grinned, "I think _Ryu-chan's _motto isn't 'Practice Makes Perfect' for nothing, Ruka. Other than that, _Ryu-chan_ has a point. And we do have _our own_ performance to worry about…"

"Speaking of which, Yuki, how's the composition going?" Ruka asked, dropping his previous argument with the brunette.

Yuki nodded at himself before replying, "Pretty good. I'm having a bit of a problem with the chorus and… _some_ parts of the song, but all in all I'm pretty sure I'll come up with a _hit_ before the Festival!"

"Heh… work hard, _chibi_, and we might just end up getting discovered-"

"Eh? We'll get discovered, _for sure_!"

"Uh… Yuki, I meant that as a joke… I was being sarcastic…"

"But didn't the school invite big label companies for the Festival, though?" Takumi asked suddenly, easily catching Yukito and Ruka's attention. 

"Yeah, _definitely_! _N-G, XMR…._ all those big name companies are sending scouts for the Festival." Yukito confirmed before adding, "It was the school's idea... since this year we're going to have bands and talents from other schools too to join in for the Fes. That's why we have to work our hardest!"

"Ahh… now I see why the _chibi's_ so eager…"

Yukito began nodding immediately just to show just _how_ eager he was. 

"Ne, I wish I didn't have to go in front of the crowd like that though… all I'm going to do there is act like Ryuichi Sakuma… _not sing. I can't even sing!_ It's your voice, Takumi." Yukito told Takumi sincerely, "It's going to be _embarrassing_ too! And it's all just because _I_ look a _bit_ like Ryuichi Sakuma and… I _don't_ think so... _at all_!" 

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"Sure." Ruka snorted.

He stopped and shook his head almost morosely before adding finally, "I belong right here-" he pressed his fingers on the keyboard's keys, the feeling of his skin against its smooth surface comforting. "…behind the keyboard." He finished, but not without a tiny tinge of sadness.

"Yuki…" Takumi trailed away before breaking into chuckles and placing a hand on the keyboardist's head and ruffling the hair there, "You _complain_ too much!"

"But! But!"

"Yukito! Just do your part! I'll do mine and together we'll kick Setsuna's ass!" Takumi winked at him, knowing very well how the said schoolmate of theirs had it against the brunette keyboardist, before grinning at Ruka. "I hear he's going to be the one to do _ASK_."

Ruka grinned, "Fits him, you know."

Yukito laughed.

A/N: Uh… comments and criticisms are welcome so drop in a review! The last part was weird, I know, I'm not even sure if schools _can_ do that… err… or maybe they can… To clear stuff out: The little lyric bit there is from _Sleepless Beauty_ (we know where that's from right? Right ^^) and I chose the name Yukito because of this Gravi fanfic I read at mediaminer.org (_Sanity's Boundary_) – one of the guys there was named Yukito and it just sort of inspired me. Err, there's also a reason to that name, but I'm sure you're getting the idea… Maybe next time I should just insert those nifty [1]s and [2]s in the fic to make explaining random stuff better? XD Ne, and done… I just don't do romance good…


	3. Those Left Behind

Disclaimer: Gravitation does not belong to me. Ne, I doubt Gravitation would be as good if I owned it anyway. I'm not making any money out of this either and am just borrowing its characters….

A/N: There! Edited, though I doubt my editing abilities… Will edit it more later, when I find the time O_o. Enjoy reading (hopehopehope) and drop in a review :-)! Oh, and, for drawings of Yukito, Anne, and the rest of the original cast, go to deviantart.com. My username there is ~white-crescent.

^_^

Comments/Criticisms are always welcome and… my response to the reviews are down below ^^;;

Three: Those Left Behind

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11:49

There was a beep.

The typing sounds that had filled the dimly lit room stopped and the blonde seated in front of the laptop at one end of the room looked up, fixing his gaze on the door.

"Yuki!" The sweet voice of his lover had come from the living room, behind that closed door, but he knew his lover was not and could not be at home, yet.

Eiri ran a hand through his hair before tiredly removing his keys from the ignition. He pocketed the keys and put on a pair of sunglasses before stepping out of his car.

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"—I know you're there." There were a few stifled giggles from the other end. He could almost picture his bubbly little singer grinning. "Don't worry, you don't have to pick up the phone!"

"I just wanted to tell you… the concert was a success! As usual…heh." There was a pause followed by Shuichi's laughter. "Gomen, I couldn't help but think how great it was! But you don't like it when I babble – at least I'll babble when I'm home…— so I won't talk about it… on the phone!"

"Anyway, I'm taking the first flight tomorrow morning! I'm gonna be home, Yuki! Tomorrow!"

He ignored the curious looks that were directed to him after he had entered the small café and proceeded to look for the blonde head of Seguchi Tohma. He had expected the N-G president to be seated somewhere, clad in leather, or some business suit, and was exactly looking for something that stood out.

He was taken aback when his brother-in-law waved at him from his table, right beside the window, looking every bit normal in jeans and a simple blue turtle-neck sweater. 

Calmly, as he walked towards the older man's table, he wondered just how much he'd been locking himself up in his apartment.

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"Baka." Eiri muttered, his eyes still fixed on the door. 

He listened intently to his lover and for a while contemplated on whether to pick up the phone or not.

"Eiri, you're late." Tohma said, giving him a smile that almost made him feel uncomfortable. The novelist grunted in his response, before seating himself across his brother-in-law.

"How's the new book going, Eiri?" Tohma asked. 

Eiri shrugged, "It's coming out good. I'm finishing it before deadline, at least…." And as if he was remembering something, he trailed away, mind lost in thought for awhile. Tohma watched as the younger man looked out of the window, face masked with indifference, with a disapproving look.

Eiri was still hurting, no matter how many times the younger man denied it he was still hurting. Even after almost a year and a half, the blonde novelist was still there, never leaving, never wanting to leave the comfort of yesterday.

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"—Yuki. We're going to party tonight, by the way! Celebrate for the success of the tour… don't worry, I'm not gonna get myself drunk like last time—"

Eiri's right hand was already on his desk, ready to support him whenever he stood up. He wanted to pick up the phone, wanted to hear his lover's voice in his ears as he talked to him and not to some machine. 

"—Ne, Yuki. Good Luck on the book!"

He ran a hand through his hair and turned to face his laptop. If he left his book in the middle of such an intense scene just to speak to his lover, it was highly likely that by the time he got back he would have lost all inspiration to finish that part. Then he would have to begin with that part again with a completely different mood and different idea. Sofia would not shoot Alex the moment he burst in the cathedral, Sofia would probably run into his arms next time, or shoot herself. It would be different, and it would take another few hours of thinking to get the scene right. A few hours was not what he had, what with the deadline looming before him.

He had to finish the book. His Shu-chan could wait, for until tomorrow at least. He knew, by tomorrow, he would be done and for sure, at the rate he was going. Then, when he was done, all that would be left was Shuichi.

Shuichi could wait. Just a few hours, he told himself, then Shuichi could have his undivided attention.

And Shuichi would be home tomorrow. 

It was all good.

"—I know your deadline's soon.. but oh! Tomorrow I'll be back and you'll be done with the book and it'll be awesome."

"Eiri, You have to move on." Tohma said quietly, taking a sip from his teacup. 

"I _have_ moved on." The novelist told him quietly. An uneasy silence came between them and it lasted for a few long minutes.

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"—Gomen. Gomen… I know I've been babbling for the past few minutes… Ehh… Yuki! Yuki! Gomen, I know I'm disturbing you…!"

Eiri had to shake his head and he stopped for the second time that night. He felt the need to get it into his brat's brain that he wasn't disturbing him at all. In fact, he was doing the opposite; the 'baka' was inspiring him.

"—Yuki! I'm going now—"

Eiri rose from his seat.

"—I'll see you tomorrow morning, 'kay? First thing in the morning! Uh… at least first thing when-I-arrive-there!—"

He padded towards the door and placed a hand on the knob, ready to turn it.

"—Yuki…"

The door swung open and he immediately caught the blinking light in the dark living room. 

"—I love you, Yuki.—"

He was halfway across the living room, just a few more steps and he would be able to pick up the phone. But he did not rush.

"—Love you so much. Call me later, okay?"

He stopped and stared at the phone and the blinking light on it.

"…Night, Yuki. See you in the morning."

His hands were hovering above the receiver by then, but they were just there. Shuichi had hung up and by the time he picked up the phone all he heard was the continuos beeping from other end of the line.

He sighed, cursing mildly under his breath for his stupidity. 

Carefully, Eiri set the receiver back in its cradle and headed for his office.

"See you tomorrow." He whispered and knew tomorrow he would definitely have to let his dear Shu-chan hear that other three-word-line.

Eiri sighed, knowing the conversation was not going to get anywhere unless _he_ made an effort. He'd promised Mika, after all, that he would at least let them meet with him once every month just to _talk_.

He wondered calmly as he opened his mouth to speak just when he began to _actually_ _keep_ promises.

"How's Mika?" Eiri began, "I hear you two are expecting another child…"

Tohma laughed, "Is that from Tatsuha?"

"I don't know why I keep on giving him the keys to my apartment whenever I change the locks, but yes."

"Yes." Tohma said, grinning. "We are, in fact, expecting another child, _Eiri-chan."_

Eiri rolled his eyes. "I hope you're not planning on naming him _Eiri_, Tohma. I'd have to kill you if you do."

"I'm sure Mika will have me murdered before you _can_, Eiri." Tohma said in an all-too-serious tone before chuckling softly. "She almost did last time." 

"I can imagine."

---

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'Shuichi, where are you?'

Nakano Hiroshi walked down the path before him quietly, a bouquet of fresh peach roses in hand. He didn't know why he'd bought the roses when he dropped by the flower shop that day, but he bought them anyway and later on decided to visit his best friend's grave.

It seemed like a more-than fitting time to give his best friend a visit. Just a few hours ago, they had finished recording for their latest album. 

__

'Are you watching over us?' 

Hiro breathed in deeply and stopped. After Shuichi's untimely death, he had thought about quitting the music industry for good, to pursue a degree in medicine. Were it not for Ryuichi Sakuma, he knew where he would be right now: In a University, doing nothing but studying and studying and worrying about the coming exams and the new semester.

Ryuichi had come to him the night before the funeral, and told him, no, begged him to continue playing, for _Shu-chan. _

"Shu-chan would want you to continue playing, continue making music." The Nittle Grasper vocalist had said and despite the childish endearment, he had said it with an all-too-serious face of a thirty-something-year-old man. _"Shu-chan would want you to continue your dream… for him."_

And Ryuichi had been right; Shuichi would have wanted him to continue reaching for _their_ dream. He remembered sitting on his bed that night, reprimanding himself quietly for forgetting _that_.zzzzz

Shuichi was not selfish. More than anything, Shuichi would have definitely wanted him to continue even without _him_, even if it meant he himself would not be able to reach that goal.

That was what made Shuichi _Shuichi_.

He continued along the path, sometimes turning his head to his left or right to read the various inscriptions carved on the gravestones that lined his path.

__

'Are you watching over him_?'_

Yuki Eiri had not been present in the funeral. The _cold-hearted_, because no matter how many times Shuichi told him the bastard was _not_ cold-hearted he still thought so, romance novelist had told them he had no reason to anyway. They never did find the body and the only thing they were burying were ashes. Ashes that, Eiri had told them, were probably not Shuichi's even, to begin with.

He wondered how Shuichi had put up with the man. He did not like Yuki Eiri very much though that was probably because he cared a little bit too much, loved Shuichi more than a best friend would. He would not admit that to anyone verbally, but it was there.

When he came to where Shuichi, his remains at least, had been laid to rest more than a year ago, he was, to say the least, not pleased when he saw several people were already there. Two young women stood side by side in front of his best friend's grave, while a tall blonde man, wearing a black suit, stood behind them.

He recognized the brunette young woman who had her hair in a single braid easily to be Maiko, Shuichi's younger sister. The other two, the female in particular, made him do a double take.

"Rage?" he spluttered almost before arching an eyebrow. 

At the mention of her name, the redhead turned and she smiled at him.

"_Konnichi wa, Nakano-san."_ Rage greeted in Japanese, bowing her head slightly. She grinned at the expression the guitarist had on his face.

"Visiting too, hmm?" Rage said, "I thought I'd visit him too today. I guess it's coincidence his sister decided to drop by today too…" She trailed away and smiled as she shifted her gaze from him to the gravestone that had the name _Shindou Shuichi, _in both Japanese and English, carved on it.

__

"It's Gravitation." She whispered softly before adding just as softly, an afterthought, "I'd always wanted to say that…"

---

__

Your voice drifts, floating in the air,

You're still shining,

Carried to my ears, empty and bare

You're still shining,

Within the darkness, brightly shining 

Bright as nothing

Bright eyes burned into my memory,

Burning crimson, hot and pulsing,

Your song lingers, charging ecstasy

Empty nothing, shining nothing,

Echoing in the darkness…

Sakuma Ryuichi continued staring at the piece of paper he had in hand. Beside him, in the driver's seat, was Tatsuha and while the younger man's eyes were, at that moment, fixed on the road, once in a while he would cast worried glances to the vocalist's direction.

"It just doesn't work." Ryuichi whispered finally, folding the piece of paper in his hand. He slipped it into one of his jeans' pockets before sitting back and closing his eyes. "It's missing something… I... I can't quite put a finger on what it's missing…" the vocalist said tiredly.

The car stopped at the red light and Tatsuha turned to the older man. "I think it's great, anyway. You'll finish it, ne, Ryu-chan?"

Ryuichi smiled at him, tiredly though, before yawning. "I'm glad we've finished recording today… It would have been better though if I'd finished this song….."

The light turned green and soon the car was moving again.

"It's okay, Ryu-chan. I'm sure you tried your best."

Ryuichi gave him the same tired smile. "It's been more than a year, isn't it? Almost a year and a half…" 

"What h—oh. Oh…" Tatsuha's expression became unreadable. "Yeah."

"Kumagoro and me miss singing with him." The vocalist's voice was small, quiet and disturbingly serious. That and the fact that Ryuichi mentioned Kumagoro in the sentence, for some reason, worried Tatsuha greatly. 

"A lot of people miss Shuichi, Ryu-chan." Tatsuha told him, not knowing how to respond to that.

"I know… Ne.. so… how's Yuki-san doing?" Ryuichi produced his trademark pink bunny from _somewhere_ and began toying idly with it, "I hope he's okay. Shu-chan wouldn't want him to be hurt."

The last line was said in a serious tone, reminding Tatsuha just how much Shuichi's death had affected the Nittle Grasper vocalist. Ryuichi had flown back to Japan after learning the younger vocalist's death. He had flown back and decided to reform Nittle Grasper for the second time.

It came to everyone as a surprise. 

Everyone thought it was all Tohma's doing. With N-G Record's leading band out of the game, they sincerely believed Tohma would go as far as convincing Ryuichi to go back and reform Nittle Grasper. But they were wrong. It had been Ryuichi's idea, and he did it all for Shuichi.

Sometimes, thinking about it made Tatsuha a tad bit jealous. Just _a tiny bit._

"Aniki?" Tatsuha began, "He's okay… Not really hurting himself or anything like that. You can tell though, he still misses Shuichi."

"That's good to know… Ne, has he found somebody else already?" 

Tatsuha stopped. "No."

From the edge of his sight, Tatsuha saw Ryuichi nodding quietly. 

Tatsuha allowed a smile to graze his lips as he spoke, "But, Aniki's been secretly watching Live performances… you know? I think he—"

"I don't think Yuki-san will find anyone _like_ _Shuichi_ anymore." Ryuichi said quickly. Before Tatsuha could respond to this, the vocalist stifled another yawn and said, "Ne, Tatsuha, Kumagoro and I'll take a short nap… Wake me up when we get home, 'kay?"

All he could do was nod and 'Hai' in reply as he continued driving.

---

A/N: This chapter screams _"Filler!"_ Gomen to those who were waiting for the next chapter! (I'll just lead myself to believe that some people actually read this without reviewing to prevent myself from breaking down in tears… *pause* or anything equally drastic.) I certainly took my time with this one, but that's because I couldn't find the right mood (and music) for this one. Originally, I had planned to start it out with Ryuichi, but plans changed and I ended up trying to start this chapter with Hiro and then finally Tohma before this. It took me a week to get it all right and this chapter has a bit of everything I had in mind, basically anyway. I wrote this chapter with Gackt's _Sayonara_ which I got from KaZaa last night (Is there even such a song by him? I don't trust KaZaa very much…) and it gets the mood just right, I think right now anyway. It's still a tad bit... angsty and dramatic, which I'm not very happy about, but I'm glad to have finished this chapter.. .!! Whew!

Anyway, questions, questions! I'm not so sure about Rage's hair color, since I don't have any colored pics of her and my Chinese isn't the best (did they mention it in the manga?) so, for now, I'll settle for red. Same goes for what Ryuichi did at the end of the manga – once again, my Chinese-reading skills are dodgy so I take it Nittle Grasper broke up _again_, and he left Japan to pursue his single singing career again…err something like that. Somebody give me a clear translation of the last tankoubon (12) because I don't trust _my_ Chinese! And finally, just how many of you guys want Tatsuha/Ryuichi? I'm not sure whether I should include that hear, hence the reaaaally vague thing going with Tats and Ryu-chan towards the end. I have doubts about Tats' infatuation (or obsession) with Ryu-chan…

Next chapter, I'll have Yuki smoking (I forgot about that here, Yuki can't be Yuki without smoking. *pout*), Tohma and him having a conversation, more stuff on what happened with Nittle Grasper and Bad Luck and _hopefully_ the plot development I had hoped to stick in here. I hope this was okay, and _let me know_…XD Oh, and yes, finally, finally _gomen_ for the confusion in the last chapter! GOMEN! From here on, I think I'll refer to Yuki as _Eiri_! 

And then the response to (a) review(s) (^^;) here: 

FFgal: Yep! Anne/Ai is an original character! I'm glad you liked how I stared with a dream and I hope I don't bore you if I do that again (It's part of my style… when I RP, I tend to do that often) ^^;; Basically, Yukito _is_ a keyboardist. The thing about him 'cosplaying' as Ryuichi – I'll explain that in the next chapter, can't spoil too much ^^;; But it has something to do with the hordes of fans he has at school…. *coughs* I'm sorry I confused you! I'm pretty sure it wasn't your fault, rather the lack of explanation on my part… Stupid me. . ;_; Hopefully, this chapter was better than the last one… Finally, I'll try my best to flesh out the characters and tell me if I'm going… overboard. I too dislike it when original characters take the limelight too much, but I tend let my original characters do so anyway sometimes.. ;_;

And I know I'm babbling a little bit too much, but gomen once more if the characters are OOC, and the little thing with Hiro being in Nittle Grasper there. I'm sure it sounds extremely familiar (_Breaking Away) _but I couldn't find a better outcome for Hiro so he's there.. More on that on the next chapter too and I think I'll go and try and find a suitable Japanese name for Tohma's daughter for the time being… wee. I think I'll go and insert links to sketches of Yukito here sometime…. 

^_^ 


	4. Best Intentions

Disclaimer: Gravitation does not belong to me. Ne, I doubt Gravitation would be as good if I owned it anyway. I'm not making any money out of this either and am just borrowing its characters….

A/N: No reviews. ;_; Ahh.. but here it is – still unedited at the moment – Chapter Four! Here's when, hopefully, things will start to pick up. (Where's my plot? :-O) Continuation of the conversation between Tohma and Yuki (I mean, _Eiri_) from the third chapter and… hopefully, from here on, things won't be as confusing…. . Drop a review? Comments and constructive criticism is always welcome (in fact, I think I need it..)… Oh, and OOC warning. I can't help it, I'm still confused… anime or manga? Ahh... choices.

Four: Best Intentions 

"So, what do you have in mind for your next novel then?"

He looked up, the question taking his full attention, to his brother-in-law. He took the cigarette from his lips before replying with a slight grin, "A tragic ending." Eiri's voice was laced with bitterness and if his brother-in-law caught that, he certainly didn't show. Instead, the older blonde responded to his reply with a slight nod, that gentle, almost-taunting smile ever present on his lips.

"Don't you think your fans would want a happy ending instead?" Tohma asked suddenly before Eiri could put the cigarette back into his mouth. The question was innocent enough, or could have been had it not been asked by a certain manipulative brother-in-law of his. He knew what that question meant, what it said really.

He pretended not to know what his brother-in-law really meant. "It's not like I haven't been writing tragic endings for years," he said nonchalantly and put the cigarette back into his mouth. He watched as that smile on his brother-in-law's face almost fell. _Almost_. He knew it took a lot more than that to make his brother-in-law lose his cool.

He took a deep drag on his cigarette and lost himself in the feeling it brought him for a while. 

"You gave them happy endings before." _When Shuichi was around…_

Eiri stopped and took the cigarette from his mouth again before ridding his lungs of the smoke he'd inhaled. 

"Well, I'm giving them a tragic one this time." Eiri said defensively, not knowing how to counter that statement better. 

Tohma's smile widened, seemingly. Eiri didn't know if it was just him being paranoid. He didn't like it when his brother-in-law played mind games with him. 

"A cycle, hm?" Tohma asked, watching the younger blonde with amused eyes. "So, Eiri, _when_ are you going to give your adoring fans their happy ending?"

"Next book." The blonde novelist's response came fast, a little too fast maybe. Eiri waited uncomfortably for a comment from his brother-in-law on that one, but nothing came.

"That's good to hear. I hope you keep your word on that."

The conversation ended there and the two of them sat in silence. 

"So…" It was Eiri. 

Tohma set his cup down and waited for the younger blonde to continue.

"…How are they?" the blonde novelist asked quietly, his voice wavering only slightly. _They_ as in Hiro and Suguru. Eiri didn't know why but ever since Shuichi's death, it became somewhat of a habit to him to ask Tohma about his lover's former band mates once in a while. 

"Nittle Grasper has just recently finished recording their latest album and Suguru's still thinking about which course to take…" Tohma trailed away. He gazed at the teacup in front of him before eyeing Eiri, "In other words: They're fine."

__

A lot better than you are right now. 

Eiri nodded. "That's good to know." He said slowly before taking one last drag on his cigarette and stubbing it on the ashtray. "I need a drink." He said quietly and ordered black coffee.

A minute later, his black coffee came and the two of them sat in silence once again. Eiri's attention turned to the street outside then, for the second time that afternoon. _Sessions_, as he'd liked to call those times when either his older sister or brother-in-law dragged him out for the sole purpose of getting him to _talk_, with Seguchi Tohma were like this always. No conversation ever really lasted for more than a few minutes with Tohma, and, most of the time, it ended in both of them falling silent.

He half-wished it was Mika seated across him now but later on decided the silence his brother-in-law allowed to go between them was better than Mika's continuous nagging.

A raven-haired high school girl caught his attention suddenly. She wasn't beautiful, just plain, wasn't well endowed and definitely didn't stand out from the crowd in her simple and clean, ironed blue and white uniform. She had one hand running through her hair in what looked like an act of frustration while her other hand held a cell phone to her ear. Anger was visible in her features, even from the distance, and her mouth was moving fast; whether she was arguing or reasoning Eiri couldn't be sure, but it had to be one of the two. 

She was on the verge of crying, Eiri could tell, having studied people's emotions for so long so he could write about them. The distance between them and the many people passing by did not prevent the blonde novelist from confirming this. 

__

Yuki…

The girl tilted her head up and the hand holding her cell phone dropped to her side. She was giving up. But she didn't cry and to his amusement she seemed to smile as she wiped the unshed tears from her eyes with a hand.

The action so painfully reminded him of someone and, briefly, he wondered if….

It looked like something out of one of his novels. Female heroine, in the middle of a busy street, alone and neglected, is about to walk away and fade into the crowd when, out of nowhere, her love interest comes running out of nowhere, waving an arm to her, before pulling her into a tight hug.

It was surreal. It looked like something out of a novel, a movie. Eiri did not like that, but he couldn't help but continue watching the scene unfold before him. 

So engrossed was he that he failed to notice the fact that his brother-in-law had followed his gaze minutes ago and was now watching both him and the couple across the street.

Eiri watched, a slight frown on his face, as the boy pulled away, breaking the hug. The boy placed a finger on the girl's lips then before producing a cell phone from his school jacket and showing it to her.

__

Love you so much. Call me later, okay?

He decided he'd seen enough. He tore his gaze from the window, placing hand over his face as memories began to resurface.

__

Call me later.

The phone, the unanswered call, his lover's voice over the phone, the request, the call he never got to return…..

"Eiri—"

Eiri breathed in sharply, before sitting back on his chair and exhaling slowly. "I should have answered the phone." Those six words escaped his lips almost automatically and once he realized what he'd just done, he did nothing to take it back. It was… inevitable anyway. Those six words and the message behind them, was something that had been screaming to be made known ever since news of Shuichi's death hit him.

He remembered waking up late and expecting his pink-haired singer to be seated at his bedside, or sleeping beside him in their bed but finding none. He remembered hauling himself out of bed and stumbling into the living room, thinking his little 'baka' had decided to sleep in the sofa instead. He remembered shrugging and mentally noting to call his brother-in-law to ask why his lover was not home yet when he found the sofa empty.

He remembered turning the television on afterwards, hoping to catch something vaguely interesting, something to keep his mind occupied while he waited. He hadn't bothered to look at the clock. He hadn't bothered to check the messages left on his phone, knowing there would only be one call worth hearing.

But he hadn't bothered to check and had been wrong. Five messages were waiting for him, waiting to be heard.

Minutes later, he found himself staring at the television screen in disbelief, not believing a word of what he was hearing. The words '_dead', _ ' _Shindou_ _Shuichi', _and '_car accident'_ did not belong in the one sentence, but he heard them clearly from the television. 

"It was my fault, wasn't it?" Eiri whispered softly, eyes lidded. 

"It…was… an accident, Eiri." The statement was spoken slowly – carefully – as if the words used didn't quite pin the true meaning down perfectly but were close enough anyway. Eiri ignored this, but knew it was highly unusual for his brother-in-law to speak so hesitantly. 

"Let go, _for now_. For your sister, for Mika," his brother-in-law stopped and took that time to fix his hazel eyes on him ", _for me."_

For now, for me.

Eiri met his brother-in-law's gaze and for a while, simply stared. Then, his eyebrows furrowed even as his eyes narrowed. 

"You know something."

Seguchi Tohma winced. The reaction was fleeting, one that Eiri barely caught and even then he wasn't so sure if he'd actually seen it.

Tohma smiled in response. 

"_Eiri-san_, don't I _always_ know _something_?"

It was a rhetorical question.

Tohma lifted his teacup to his lips and drank from it before casually taking a look at his watch. "Well, my time's run out. I promised dinner with a friend." The N-G President smiled at him, eyes narrowing into slits as he did so, "I have to be leaving soon. It was good talking with you this afternoo—"

"You're trying to avoid the topic," Eiri hissed, "Just what are you hiding, _Seguchi_?"

Tohma laughed, rising from his seat. 

"Whatever it is _you _think _I'm_ hiding, _Eiri-san_, you can rest assured I have _good_ intentions and nothing more, or _less_." 

His brother-in-law gave him a slight bow before putting on his coat and exiting the café. 

__

'Good Intentions, huh?' Eiri thought, his mental tone dripping with sarcasm. 

He finished his coffee in a few minutes, got up and left.

---

Seguchi Tohma leaned against the wall, pocketing his gloved hands as he waited in the dark hall. Hazel eyes never left a small wall lamp right in front of him, and he watched as the electric light seemingly danced and flickered like real fire.

He took a deep breath and sighed. 

"You are in time, for a change, _Mr. Seguchi._" 

Tohma smiled. "Yes, yes I am." He said with a slight laugh, regarding the tall red-haired woman, who looked undoubtedly of European descent, at one end of the hall with a sideways glance. 

"She is waiting in the living room, we will have dinner in a few minutes." The redhead told him in her heavily accented Japanese.

Tohma nodded, "How's she doing, Freesia?"

"Oh, she is just fine—" Freesia paused to open the door that lead to the living room, "You can tell, she has changed a lot and has been getting back much of what she lost…"

*pachi*

"—she has just recently won a match, so she is a bit…. _bouncy _and _excited_."

*pachi*

Tohma stared into the parlor and found the one whom he promised dinner with seated on the floor, one hand extended on the goban in front of her, ready to make a move. 

"She has been recreating that game since this afternoon," Freesia told him quietly, "Impressive actually. The doctor says it is the best improvement so far, her regaining her former mental prowess when it comes to recreating games."

*pachi*

Eyes bright and filled with childish glee, the young woman seated on the floor in front of them looked nothing like the twenty-three year old she was. A child trapped in an adult's body, he couldn't help but be reminded of their Sakuma Ryuichi. The old Sakuma Ryuichi, to be exact, the one abused and traumatized until all he wanted to do was run away and hide from everything…

"Mizuki Ai." He said softly, walking to the young woman's side. The young woman stopped and looked up at him, her green eyes wide and innocent.

"Seguchi!" she cried before launching herself into his arms. "Sorry, I got carried away!" 

She smiled as she pulled away and began straightening her dress. "Freesia, I trust everything's ready?" she asked, and when she did so, she aged, looking a bit more of the adult she was instead of a child.

The European redhead gave her a nod before disappearing behind a door. 

"So, where's your fiance?" Tohma asked once they were seated around the dining table. The blonde across the table grinned at him, green eyes twinkling.

"He's going to be a bit late tonight." Ai said, "School."

"Oh." Tohma sounded slightly disappointed.

Just then, the doors to the dining room burst open revealing a panting, gasping brown-haired young man. All three of them, Tohma, Ai and Freesia, stopped to stare at him and he gave them a nervous laugh.

"Heh… _Gomen_?" he said tentatively before carefully setting his backpack on the floor. 

"_Fujiwara Yukito_," Ai said, laughing, "You should get yourself seated, we have strawberry shortcake for dessert!" 

She winked at him and he blushed.

---

A/N: I know, this chapter was rushed. Better than nothing though, ne? (I've been a writer's block of sorts..) I cut a part from this chapter… the one with Hiro, Rage and Maiko. Will stick that next chapter, as well as... some other things. -_- 

Oh, and pics? 

www (dot) deviantart (dot) com/view/3608691/) - for a pic with Ai/Anne and Yukito in it. That is basically how Ai looks… 

www (dot) deviantart (dot) com/view/3582655/) - and Yukito with blonde hair. ^_^

^__^


	5. Silence

Disclaimer: Gravitation does not belong to me. Ne, I doubt Gravitation would be as good if I owned it anyway. I'm not making any money out of this either and am just borrowing its characters….

A/N: Shortest chapter so far. I just figured I should stop near the end, because the rest just doesn't fit if I write anymore. ^^;; *_* Can you tell I'm rushing a bit and want some more posted? Sort of. I had to get the conversation between Rage and Hiro out (totally taking Maiko out of the picture because she just didn't _fit_). And, as I was writing this chapter, an idea for how this chapter_ should_ go popped out of nowhere and _that_ just didn't fit with the scene between Rage and Hiro _very well_. For anyone wondering, the next chapter would probably have _Smile_ as a title, with, hopefully, lotsa flashbacks. (Like, Eiri's attempts on returning to old routine, Ryuichi convincing Hiro to join up with him and…. something else *grins*) If said flashbacks inside parenthesis do not come out next chapter, expect them in future – they're there : 3 Oh and still unedited *_* I may need a beta reader…

Five: Silence

Yukito quietly sat himself down, the blush on his cheeks only worsening when he noticed the all-too-familiar blonde at the other end of the table. Gasping, he almost bolted right out of his seat before the notion of greeting even crossed his mind.

"To…To…Tohma-kun?!" he stammered before swallowing and bowing his head slightly. A highly amused chuckle escaped the soft-spoken keyboardist's lips.

"Good Evening. I..I didn't notice you!" Immediately, he turned to his fiancée with confused and questioning look. "Ne… uh…Ai… I... I didn't know –"

Ai smiled benevolently and laughing softly she said, "I _told_ you we were getting a special visitor today."

Yuki's mouth opened and then closed and then opened again and finally he heaved a sigh. "Gomen, gomen Tohma-kun! I wasn't expecting anyone _THAT_ specia—"

"Fujiwara-san does not regard _other_ iGo players very highly, you see." Freesia cut in casually, a fork in hand as she waved it slightly as if to emphasize her point, and Yukito frowned. 

"Well… I may not be too… _fond_... of them and—"

"And treat them as _God_." Anne finished for him, giggling and causing the blush on the brunette's face to spread and deeper in hue.

"I mean… uh…" Yuki muttered quietly before hanging his head, "…nevermind…"

"Anne, I think you're being a bit too hard on poor Yuki here." Tohma said with a laugh before calmly taking the spoon and fork in his hand and smiling at them. 

"Well, are we eating or not?" 

---

"I miss him, Hiroshi." 

Hiro turned to his right, just in time to catch Rage's eyes flicker with an emotion he knew all to well. He smiled knowingly and tilted his head to gaze at the stars. 

"I know the feeling." He said quietly, in a voice that was almost a whisper. Neither of them had to elaborate, both knowing what each other meant by that '_miss', _both feeling the same thing, though, perhaps, on different levels. 

The cemetery was silent, except for the occasionally sound of birds from somewhere far away and the wind itself, blowing gently. Maiko left them a few hours ago, after a rather lengthy conversation about her genki older brother, telling them she had several tests the next day while Bill – Rage's personal bodyguard – had gone to wait for his boss in their car sometime in between their conversations about Shuichi.

"It's unfair, you know." Rage said softly, pouting slightly as she did so. "It's okay… if I can't have him as long as I can watch him…."

"Aa…" Hiro found his gaze trailing away to the bouquet of peach roses he'd brought now lying on the patch of grass in front of Shuichi's gravestone.

"…But I can't watch him anymore." Rage finished and then sighed. 

Hiro didn't say anything, knowing that saying anything more about that was, decidedly, going to do more bad to him than good. If there was one thing the 'Genius Guitarist' wasn't, it was '_gay'_. 

Then again, looking back, Shuichi wasn't exactly gay. And he wasn't exactly straight either…[1]

"Your Japanese's improved, y'know?" Hiro commented, mind not quite in what Rage was saying, but nevertheless there. 

"Thank you."

"Just pointing out what's there." Hiro said quietly and then found his lips curving to form a small smile. 

"Hiroshi." 

"Hmm?" Hiro turned his head to face Rage.

"Sometimes, when you think about it. Do you get….-_upset with-_… Shuichi?" Rage asked quietly, carefully picking out her words and even using a word in English to get her desired meaning across.

'_Upset with Shuichi?' _Hiro thought quietly before coming into a conclusion that, maybe, he was.

"Maybe." He said, voicing his thoughts. 

"That's… _relieving_." Rage took a deep breath. "I _always_ get upset when I think about it. But… not only at Shuichi." 

"At everyone else, eh?" 

Rage managed a laugh, a bitter one, "Yeah. And it seems I never run out of people to blame for his death too when I think about it… hard…" 

Hiro nodded in silence and then remembered the pack of cigarettes he had in his pants' back pocket. 

"You mind if I smoked?" he asked quietly.

"No." Rage replied in the same fashion, folding her hands on her chest. Hiro proceeded to light a cigarette.

"It's just not fair." Rage said quietly, knowing she'd said it once already but felt like she'd said more than that.

"Nothing ever is." Hiro took a drag from his cigarette and closed his eyes.

"But it's silly!" Rage retorted, shutting her eyes and turning away. "_Shuichi Shindou dies in car accident._ That…. that's just…"

"…surreal?" Hiro suggested.

Rage sneered. "…_ridiculous."_

"Aa…" Hiro took a deep breath before taking another drag from his cigarette. He watched as the smoke seemed to glow in the dark, illuminated by the moonlight. 

"He maybe an idiot but he's not stupid enough to _deliberately_ crash a car into another car, or drive or let _anyone_ drive drunk."

"I know."

"You realize how I _screamed_ when I heard the news? It's just… just…" She paused and Hiro noticed her hands ball into fists. "_Stupid, stupid, stupid!" _

"I wanted to grab my bazooka and fly back to Japan just to blow his brains for good…. _Stupid!_" Rage finished and Hiro couldn't help but smile. 

"You didn't think he was dead, did you?" 

"No." Rage snapped, "I thought it was just… just one of those stupid rumors. I thought, that couldn't possibly happen. _Hell NO_ – not Shuichi Shindou…." 

Her voice softened, declining into a soft whisper, as she finished, "...But it did happen…" 

"I know the feeling." Hiro took another drag on his cigarette and then flicked the ashes on it off.

"….I read all the articles that time. I wanted to shoot them and knock some sense out of them." Rage continued. "They said Shuichi got drunk… or or.. partied with the wrong people… or.. actually wanted to commit suicide in the first place…. But that's just not him—"

"That's all they're after… speculations." Hiro put in quietly.

"Idiots." 

"I know."

Rage bit her lip. She wanted to say more, more about what she thought was just wrong but found no words to describe everything that was, at that moment, running through her mind. Too many words, too many ideas, contradicting statements. She knew she would take hours if she went through all of them with Hiro, and what use would doing that be?

All she knew was that Shuichi couldn't possibly have gotten himself killed _on purpose_, or by 'accident' as many newspapers put it. It was just… too uncharacteristic of him. Too unlikely. Too improbable. Too un-Shuichi. One doesn't drive for five hours, for many miles, just to kill himself when he could, just as easily, kill himself a few meters away. Roads and moving cars just weren't that uncommon in Japan.

And the car Shuichi had been in – he couldn't possibly have been driving, in Rage's mind – did not just crash into a car, a moving vehicle, once but _twice_. It had crashed into a private vehicle first, killing its driver instantly, before crashing into a truck carrying barrels of _oil_ and bursting into flames.

It just wasn't right.

She remembered seeing pictures of the vocalist's mobile phone lying brokenly on the burnt asphalt road, scraps of metal behind it. She remembered thinking how it was just _wrong_.

Hiro had been right : It was _surreal_.

"I don't think it's just an accident." Rage murmured finally, after the long pregnant silence. "I…I asked Judy… to... to run a check. She… she didn't find anything." 

"There isn't anything to find." Hiro's lips dissolved into a thin line. "Shuichi's dead, that's all there is to it."

"No…" Rage swallowed, "That's just it."

This caught Hiro's attention immediately. In the moonlight, he saw the seriousness in Rage's eyes clearly and the way her eyebrows were drawn together.

"You just don't find _nothing_ – clean empty _nothing_. You find _something_, even tiny bits… Someone... someone's put a lid on it all…" She trailed away, one name crossing her mind.

She knew the same name had crossed Hiro's mind because of the way his eyebrows narrowed.

Silence followed with neither of them wanting nor having anything to say anymore. And they remained like that for a long time, lost in thoughts, in realizations.

__

Seguchi Tohma

---

[1] While in the _anime_, Shuichi came out rather… well… that. In the _manga_, he gave off the impression (at least to me) that he was not attracted to any other men, really, except Yuki (and Ryuichi, but that's God ^_~) I maybe mistaken, but those are just my thoughts….

Anyway, response to reviews! (Yay – changing the summary helped. *_*)

anime-earth – Thanks ^_^ And I'll work hard on filling those gaps, though I think stuff are going too slow, don't you think? *glares at her muses*

CTFA, Vince and Payu - (^_^;;) Thanks for adding this fic to your favorites.. ahh! *hearts all over the place* My very first anime fanfic gets to go to a "list" – so happy! And… *grins* I really can't say much about your assumption though… ^^ *coughs* *Shuichi peers from somewhere behind the curtains and then darts back behind it* *coughs* Secrets, you know? Suspense : 3 ^^;; (Though that just maybe the reason this fic isn't as interesting as other fics out there.. just lacks romance…)

Critic – Woo! Long review. I just ticked off that thing from the settings panel that disallows anonymous reviews, thanks for reminding me ^^;; For one, you're right, Yukito isn't like Shuichi. And, I can't deny _plans_ for a little Yuki/Eiri (no pun intended) things here there, but that was pretty obvious, now, I guess? Hints. *sighs* We'll just wait and see, I guess? Though there _is_ a chance this will end up as Yuki/Shuichi, one way or another… *grins* 

*nods* Bows down. And here ends my chapter. More on six, I promise. ^_^ I just felt I should write a bit in between instead of making people wait and wait for a week more. (I have exams next week and minor exams this week, by the way.) Once again, gomen if this wasn't very good…Trying my best here to write good… XD Ahh! 

^_^


	6. Smile Be There

Disclaimer: Gravitation does not belong to me. Ne, I doubt Gravitation would be as good if I owned it anyway. I'm not making any money out of this either and am just borrowing its characters….

A/N: And behold! Chapter Six cometh! It's the longest chapter so far! _And for a reason too! _(Exams!) *_* I tried to put in here what I had in mind and I _think_ it came out pretty well except for the.. weird stuff towards the end. Lots of Tohma in here – he's playing a _big_ part in here – at least that's what my muses are saying. I think he's a bit (okay, a _whole_ _lot_) OOC here too, but I tried pulling off the fatherly, 'eccentric' Tohma here. It's… quite hard to write Tohma, but I _did_ try. I'll be explaining some more towards the end and… and, this is still unedited! And I won't be editing it, or won't get a chance to do so until the end of next week because of exams. . Well, I hope you enjoy at least – Comments and criticisms are welcome! I _need_ them actually (to improve my writing *_*) so go press the review button down there….! 

Oh, and the parts in normal are present day – the parts in italic are more like flashbacks set around one year and a month ago or so. Gomen for any confusion caused by the weird formatting.

Six: Smile/Be There

__

…Don't smile… not when you're not feeling happy because…

….It hurts…

If one word could sum up what almost everyone thought of the all-powerful, N-G President, then it had to be _'cruel_'. Not that he minded really. Being feared was better than being looked down upon. _Far better_. 

Tohma looked down, his gaze resting on the glass of wine he held in his right hand. With serious eyes, he searched his reflection in the deep red liquid for… he didn't quite know what he was looking for, but he knew it was something he was _missing_. 

Maybe, he thought grimly, he was looking for his conscience. Or something else. Or.. Or..

He breathed in sharply, closing his eyes in the process, and then opened them again as he heaved a heavy sigh. Seguchi Tohma was cruel and cold-blooded, willing to do anything, _anything at all_, for the sake of achieving his desired outcome. And by anything, it meant just _that_ – _anything_. Even murder. 

His wife was not kidding anyone when she told her younger brother her husband would have _Shindou-san_ killed if he didn't end his little, unhealthy relationship with the singer almost two years ago[1]. He certainly wasn't kidding when he told Taki he was the one who loved Yuki Eiri the most… but that didn't technically mean he was right.…

His mind was a mess and he couldn't even begin to figure out why, of all times, he was suddenly feeling… guilty and remorseful – melancholy, maybe. Probably, it was the conversation he had this afternoon with Eiri. His brother-in-law had been… forceful. As if he'd finally decided to….

He looked up, taking notice of how clear the night sky was compared to other nights. The stars were shining brightly tonight and the moon was nowhere in sight. 

There had to be a reason to that, he thought quietly and was not quite sure where the thought came from. He was in an extremely thoughtful mood tonight and… and…

Maybe, just maybe, it was really because of his talk with Eiri earlier and the topic that was clearly, though perhaps somewhat indirectly, about one deceased Shindou Shuichi.

He….

"You're getting better at sneaking up on people, I see." Tohma said with a grin, purposely raising his voice. 

Tohma's ears picked up the sound of clothes ruffling in the cool evening breeze and a quiet, subdued chuckling followed it.

"I wasn't sneaking up on you to begin with, _Tohma-kun_." The intruder countered, voice tinged with amusement. 

Tohma looked over his shoulder and regarded the brunette behind him with a smirk. "So, why are you out here and not with your _fiancée?"_

Yukito walked over to his side and leaned over the metal railing. "I was wondering where you disappeared off to" He told Tohma without meeting his gaze, "'Sides, Ai wouldn't mind my not being there for a few minutes or so… She's still busy running through her latest game with Freesia."

Tohma had to smile at that and he folded his arms as he did so. "I didn't think anyone would notice me slip away into the night, you know?" He replied, smiling sweetly as if to mask the sarcasm in his tone. Yukito laughed and turned his head to Tohma.

"As if, Tohma-kun. Who _wouldn't_ notice _God_?" the boy joked, blue eyes twinkling. He leaned back then, hands still gripping the railing tightly to support his weight, and tilted his head up. "But really. I was just curious, you know? Where you went and all that…."

"I was just thinking about something, that's all." Tohma assured the boy, unfolding his hands and planting them on the railing. 

"Aa…" Yukito nodded as he leaned forward once again and then stared at Tohma in the eye. "You think too much, I think." Yukito declared after awhile and then turned to the view before them once more. From the distance, they could make out the lights from some road, and then the lights from the busier part of the city – twinkling, blinking and bright as ever.

Tohma laughed softly. "Maybe I do. _Maybe_ – I don't hear that comment very often you know?"

Yukito grinned, but said nothing as the two of them stood in the peaceful silence, watching and listening to the faint sounds in the darkness. 

"How's school?" Tohma asked finally, turning his head only slightly, just enough for him to see the brunette's face, to his right. 

"How's school?" Yukito repeated slowly before turning his head sharply to Tohma's direction and breaking into a grin suddenly. Tohma could tell, Yukito had been deep in thought himself before he'd popped out that question. "It's… good, I guess. Better than last year – that's for sure."

"Doing great in your classes?" Tohma inquired and Yukito's grin widened.

"You're looking at a Grade A student!" The brunette declared proudly, placing a hand on his chest and tilting his head up slightly, before hanging his head and muttering quietly, "…in almost every subject anyway…." 

"You can't be good at everything, Yuki." Tohma said softly, placing a hand on the brunette's head and stroking his hair. 

"Yeah, I guess so." Yukito said quietly and Tohma immediately withdrew his hand once the brunette showed signs of movement. Yukito smiled gratefully at him and then resumed staring out of the balcony.

His gaze, however, never left the younger man, the boy, at all. Quietly, Tohma reached a hand out – the same hand he'd placed on Yukito's head a while ago – and brushed the locks of soft brown hair above Yuki's eyes away, tucking them gently behind his ear. 

Yukito did not say anything when Tohma's hand remained.

"So, what brought about this change of hair color?" Tohma asked softly, in a bare whisper. "Last time it was black, and then red – I was expecting something bolder, _unconventional_ –like pink, for example."

"_Pink?!"_ Yukito stared at him incredulously, his eyes wide. Tohma withdrew his hand and smiled innocently at him. In response to that he blinked rapidly at the tall blonde man before him.

"_Tohma-kun_, you did NOT just say _pink_… Pink.. is… err.. uh…" 

"I was just giving examples, Yuki. Don't take it too harshly." He folded his arms once more. "So, _why_ brown then?"

Yukito shifted uncomfortably. "It's… It's for the _Fes_." He muttered quietly.

Tohma arched an eyebrow, the smile on his lips disappearing momentarily. "You're _performing_?" he said in a flat voice.

"Aa…" Yukito nodded meekly and watched as Tohma's face grew serious – almost scary – before shaking his head and waving his hands nervously. "N-not s-singing… of course!" Yukito added hurriedly, stuttering slightly. "I…I'm _cosplaying_, sort of, as Sakuma Ryuichi. Takumi's doing all the singing…."

"I see…." The seriousness in Tohma's face was gone all of the sudden then, replaced by the usual, calm and seemingly eternally cheerful expression. "So, why do I have a feeling this has something to do with screaming fangirls?"

"Because it _does_?" Yukito suggested sarcastically in an all-too-cheerful tone. 

The boy sighed. "They had a poll at school – on which singers they want upstage and then which students, bishounens, they wanted to impersonate who…." He paused and looked away. "…Of course, a lot of the girls voted for Grasper's Sakuma Ryuichi… amongst other people. And since… well, a good lot of them thought I looked like Sakuma-san, they… the committee in charge of the Fes decided I could go as him since… I got voted as one of those bishounen…."

"I'm not making much sense, am I?" Yukito asked quietly.

Tohma smiled. "You're making a lot of sense, Yuki. Don't worry. So basically they're planning on having that on the Fes..."

"Mm." Yukito gave him one firm nod.

"This should be interesting—" Tohma declared, "So, who else is going to be… impersonated?"

"Well, there's Gackt… ASK's Aizawa Taki…. I forgot their band name – but all four guys in this singing group[2]….Bad Luck's Shindou Shuichi… I… I forgot the rest, to be honest." 

The mention of the name _Aizawa Taki_ reminded him of the one time he came close to _killing_ someone and his eyes narrowed slightly, but the mention of the name _Shindou Shuichi _made him _wince. _It was just, perhaps, his luck that Yukito was too busy thinking about the Fes and what to say about it to him to notice. He was quick to make sure he was smiling, and quite naturally too, when Yukito's eyes fixed on him.

"…Actually, some of them thought it would be better to have me impersonate Shindou Shuichi…" Yukito began. 

Tohma nodded slowly, the smile on his face unwavering even at the mention of _Shindou Shuichi, _but his eyes darkened slightly. "But people – _our_ resident Bad Luck fan club, to be exact, objected…." Yukito hung his head, trailing away.

"…It would be _sacrilege_ to let someone who can't _sing_ impersonate _their God_, they said." Yukito said quietly in a distant voice before smiling at Tohma.

"I…_totally_ agree with them!" Yukito said laughing as he placed both of his hands over his hips. 

Forgetting all about both Aizawa and Shindou, Tohma's gaze softened as he smiled at the boy before him. "And it's not sacrilege for someone who _can't sing_ to impersonate the great Sakuma Ryuichi?" He questioned, arching an eyebrow. To anyone else it would have looked as if he was directly insulting the brunette, which definitely wasn't the case.

At this, Yukito frowned. "Not really." 

"And why is that?" 

"Becau—"

"YUKI!" 

Before Yukito could finish his statement, Anne's arms wrapped around his neck as she pulled him into a tight hug. "Yuki, play a match with me! Come on!" 

The blonde then turned to Tohma who smiled gently back at her. "You too – two against one, I'll go and ask Freesia to get another goban….!"

"You're going to _slaughter_ me, Ai! No way!" Yukito protested wrapping his arms around his fiancée and pulling her even closer to him. Anne giggled.

"I'm afraid I have to be going now though." Tohma said softly, glancing at his watch, "It's getting awfully late…." 

"Aww… Tohma-kun!" Yukito whined. "Can't stay a bit longer?"

Tohma laughed, "I'm afraid not. You're going to have to be slaughtered _alone_."

Once he was outside the mansion and in his expensive car, he looked out of the window and gave the balcony a long meaningful glance. His mind drifted off to the conversation he had with _his_ Yuki.

__

…When you're happy…. smile, okay?

He let a small smile form on his lips then, one that was very unlike the smile he wore on his face everyday, and drove away into the night.

---

It was warm. 

That was the first thing that came to Eiri's mind when he woke from his dreamless sleep. He opened one eye and realized that he was not alone in bed, that there was someone beside him. He could hear steady breathing, feel warmth…

The temperature in his room was warm and there was an odd smell in the air. The smell was familiar, to him especially, but it was not one he'd smelled in his room for quite a while now.

He opened another eye and stared blankly at the ceiling above him, almost in a daze. He couldn't quite place it but something was wrong, and right at the same time.

He got out of bed, slipping into the pair of green fluffy slippers Shuichi had bought him months ago, and then realized for the first time that night that he was stark naked. He stared at his feet blankly and then closed his eyes.

He sat himself down at the edge of his bed and ran a hand through his bedraggled hair, which was oddly damp with sweat. Sweat? 

He opened his eyes slowly and stared at his hands, not quite sure what was happening. Maybe, it was all a dream. Maybe he would wake up soon and… and…

Eiri risked a glance over his shoulder before burying his head in his hands. His bed wasn't empty. He wasn't alone. And the long blonde hair that was the only thing visible from the figure underneath his sheets belonged to a woman he picked up at a bar earlier that night.

He took a deep breath, shivering slightly. 

"God." He managed to whisper as he clenched his eyes shut. He didn't know why he felt so disgusted suddenly. He'd just had sex, very good sex. 

No relationship would begin from here - at least he didn't intend to start one. And if the woman - whose name he couldn't even remember - decided to pursue one then he'd lead her on, give her a copy of his keys if she insisted some more and then just brush her away and change the locks once he grew tired of her.

It was always like that anyway. Always. 

"Mmm…" the woman moaned in her sleep, stirring slightly. He watched her then, not having anything else to watch and tried to remember how he met her and got her into his bed. 

If he remembered right, he had been bored earlier and unable to get a scene right even after numerous tries. And then… he drove to a bar, got drunk and… and he met the girl and from there thing got heated. Then, when both of them knew there could only be one outcome, he drove her to his apartment and…

He got up and padded towards the bathroom. He tried to keep an emotionless face, really, but as soon as he got to the bathroom and saw his reflection in the mirror something_ snapped. He didn't know what, but before he knew it, he was retching against the bathroom door, a hand clasped over his mouth._

Disgusted. Sick. Guilty. 

He clamped his eyes shut and cursed profusely. What was he feeling sick about? Why_ should he be feeling sick at all? He just had sex – inspiration. Didn't his body _want_ that, _need_ that? It's not like he hadn't done it before._

Wasn't life like this before? Bring countless women to bed; use them as 'inspiration'. Use _them. Give them what they want – money, sex, whatever in exchange for what _he_ wanted. Give them their so-called _romance_ and _love_. Give them what they want. It was a wonderful life. He probably wasn't the happiest man on earth but he was extremely well off: he had money, he had success, he had fame…._

And now that Shuichi, that little brat who managed to make his way into his_ life, was _gone _and for _good….

__

That meant return to that life, didn't it? That meant return to his extravagant lifestyle. That meant more women. Shuichi would be forgotten. Nobody would think about the fact that he had a relationship with a boy_, a _brat, _a _beautiful _person inside out who was_ honest _and_…..

__

…and pure…

..and…

God, he loved him. He loved him and he was gone. And.. and.. he was free once more – free to return to the life he so reluctantly let go of…

He tried to remember; was he even reluctant?

He found himself staring at the mirror and his reflection then, searching those golden eyes for an answer. And then, realization hit him – he could never go back. Not anymore – not after having tasted what real love was like, not after having tasted what it was like to love and be loved in return.

He'd probably written about character or two coming to the same realization, being pitted in the same situation and he scoffed at himself. Probably one of his male characters too, jaded and wayward just like him…

Just like him.

He closed his eyes, smiling bitterly, before feeling something warm and wet roll down his cheeks. 

God, he was crying. Crying_ of all things he shouldn't be doing. _

Crying.

Gathering himself, he walked calmly into the shower and turned the water on, hoping to wash away more than the sweat and the smell on his body.

---

__

"Hiro! Wait!" Ryuichi bounded across the hall, his eyes fixed on the tall brunette who was walking away at the moment. "Wait! Hiro! Please!_"_

Hiro ignored the older man, his eyes slightly closed as he made his way to the elevator. 

"Wait!" 

A pair of hands grabbed him by the shoulders and Hiro was forced into a halt. "Hiro. Please." He heard the vocalist say in-between gasps. He turned around slowly and regarded the older man tiredly. 

"Sakuma-san_, what is it?"_

"Don't go. Please." Ryuichi said simply. His hands never left the guitarist's shoulders.

Hiro took a deep breath. "There's nothing left here for me." He explained, forcing a small smile. "It's time I moved on."

"Move on?"

Hiro gave him a nod. "I'm leaving the music industry for good, Sakuma-san. I… thought about it last night and I've come to a decision—"

"But you can't! Shu-cha---!"

"Shuichi's dead and Bad Luck is nothing_ without him." Hiro said matter-of-factly. Ryuichi pursed his lips and let Hiro brush his hands off his shoulders. _

Hiro gave him a slight bow. "It was nice working with you guys." He told him before spinning around and continuing for the elevator. 

Ryuichi stood there, staring in disbelief as Hiro continued walking away. The elevator opened with a ding and he watched unblinkingly as the brunette stepped into it.

"Shu-chan…" He whispered softly under his breath, his eyebrows furrowing as he frowned.

"Ahh.. wait… wait.. I'm going to the ground floor too—" 

"Nakano-san, can you wait a bit?"

When he looked up, he realized the elevator was still there, and that Hiro wasn't alone in the elevator. 

"Shu-chan, I'll make him stay.." he whispered softly as he bolted into a run and gave whoever was making Hiro wait a silent 'thank you'.

"Ahhh.. Sa-Sakuma-san?!" someone behind him cried the moment he ran into the elevator and placed a hand to keep the doors from closing in behind him.

"Shu-chan would want you to continue playing, continue making music." His gaze met Hiro's as he spoke seriously. "Shu-chan would want you to continue your_ dream…" He trailed away and looked over his shoulder, regarding the hyperventilating N-G employee behind him with cold indifference. He stepped out of the elevator but he let his hand remain, holding back one of the sliding doors._

"…for him." He continued softly and then let go, stepping back completely and letting the elevator doors close before him with a swoosh.

He sincerely hoped Hiro would understand.

---

He realized as they pushed him back against the wall, that blood tasted somewhat like metal; metallic, cold, and salty. A mixture of everything. 

"Jerk_. You think you're better than _us?" _one of them bellowed before delivering a punch to his stomach and causing his knees to buckle beneath him. _

Someone grabbed him by his collar and lifted him up effortlessly. He couldn't make out his face but he recognized the voice to be that of someone from his Music class. 

"We'll teach you not to think so highly of yourself." He was thrown against the wall and he slid down painfully to the ground.

It was cold.

Tears were threatening to roll down his cheeks any minute, but he wouldn't let them see him cry. He would be strong. He wouldn't fight back, either, since that would be sinking down to their level. What did he do anyway?

All he did was introduce himself, all he did was show them what he could do with the keyboard…. That was all he did, he was sure. He wasn't one to brag – he didn't have much to brag about. What can anyone in his shoes brag about anyway? Except, perhaps, the loving woman he was engaged to…

"Just because you screw that Mizuki girl_ doesn't mean you're any better than us." Someone cried. "Oh, heh... is that why you were sent as an exchange student too? Because _she_ paid for you? Normally _they_ don't do that but you're an exception, aren't you?"_

__

"Keep Ai out of this…." He hissed, his jaw clenching. Someone laughed. 

"Ooh... we better keep Yuki-chan's Mommy_ out of this…" He clenched his eyes shut, hoping he'd never have to tell Ai about this. Mommy? Was it wrong to be engaged with and to _love_ a woman who was almost six years older than him? Was it wrong?_

"Come on now, people. Let's not be mean to little Yuki-chan, now. We wouldn't want big ol' Anne to come and chase us with sticks, would we?" Another one said. They laughed – there had to be at least five of them all ganging up on him like this.

"Shut up." He muttered, his hands balling into fists, his knuckles turning white.

"Ehhh….? What are you saying?" Somebody grabbed him by his hair, and he let out a weak cry. He couldn't see them clearly with the light overhead shadowing their faces.

"I said shut up_." He whispered, clearer this time. _

He found himself being lifted up by his hair. "What_? We can't hear you, Yuki-chan."_

"I said SHUT UP!" He yelled.

"Asshole." He heard somebody say before being thrown against the wall roughly. He ignored the sharp pain on his back from the impact and got up immediately, a fist raised to deliver a punch. 

"Don't you ever dare mention her name like that_, _ever!" He cried as he punched the nearest person to him square on the face. He saw blood and felt pain as his knuckles came into contact with someone's nose.

__

"Ooh.. Yuki-chan's fighting!"

"Bastard – my nose!"

"Want this…?" 

Somebody grabbed him by his wrists and before he knew it he was held up against the wall, a small pocket knife held up against his throat. 

"You're cocky, aren't you?" he heard the person hiss. "You know, I could kill you right here, right now and have my dad make sure nobodyever_ finds out."_

"Try." He hissed, glaring at the person whom he realized was the half-American, half-Japanese exchange student seated behind him in class; Sena, if he remembered right.

"Bastard—" Sena hissed and he closed his eyes.

"Sena Robinson, isn't it?" the voice was familiar and the parking lot became deathly quiet. "I don't think your father would appreciate it if you went on killing your classmates like that." 

There was a cheerful tinge to the voice, and he slid down to the floor when Sena released his hold on him.

"You…." 

The sound of footsteps coming closer filled his ears and he opened his eyes weakly when the footsteps stopped. 

"Fujiwara-san, I told you not to wander off, didn't I? New York is a very big place to get lost into…" He found himself staring into a pair of hazel eyes, and a familiar face.

"Seguchi-san?" he croaked, lifting his head slightly to get a better look. Blonde hair, black hat, feather-collared coat – it was definitely the Seguchi-san he left a few hours ago in the park… or was it the shopping mall?

Seguchi helped him up and then turned to the group of boys who'd ganged up on him. "I wouldn't suggest you stay around long enough for me to recognize_ you all, you know." Seguchi told them sweetly, smiling at them like he was talking about his daughter instead of giving them a clear warning. _

And he watched as they_ stared at the tall blonde before them and realization dawned on their faces. They left then, in different directions, leaving one stunned Sena Robinson standing a several feet away from him and Seguchi._

Seguchi then turned to the young Robinson, the smile still in place, but his eyes narrowing dangerously. "And you, Mr Robinson. I wouldn't suggest you come within ten feet of Fujiwara-san here when I'm around, or anyone I_ know is around, you understand?"_

Sena froze and took a step back, suddenly looking extremely pale. He gave Seguchi a curt nod before breaking into a run.

"Fujiwara-san, you had me worried back there." Seguchi declared, spinning around to face him. The older man took his hand in his and began dragging him to where his car was parked. 

"Aa…. Gomen, Seguchi-san." Yuki whispered, bowing slightly, once they came to his car.

Seguchi smiled at him, and he suddenly felt uneasy. "It's okay, Fujiwara-san."

"Aa… I.. I can't let Ai see me like this. Can't.. let her know… You.." he looked up at the older man hopefully. "You.. won't tell her, will you?"

The car door opened. "I won't, don't worry." Came the soft reply and Seguchi motioned for him to get into the car. 

"I picked up fast food on the way here since I figured you would be hungry when I find you." Seguchi told him as he pointed at the paper bags at the back of the car. "Help yourself."

"Arigato_." Yuki said, bowing his head once more before closing the door after him._

He grabbed a hamburger from one of the paper bags and soon they were driving. He couldn't help but notice the smile that never wavered on the older man's lips though. He couldn't help but… but..

…feel.. sad?

Seguchi was not_ pleased. He was beyond displeased – there was something else in those eyes that Yuki could not quite understand. Something that was... _familiar_ and yet he couldn't quite place a finger on._

"Seguchi-san." Yuki began in a soft whisper. "…Don't smile…" 

__

The car stopped moving and the older man stared at him, his expressions unreadable.

"You shouldn't smile like that." He told the older man with all sincerity. "Not when you don't feel like smiling at all….not when you're not_ feeling happy at all…"_

A hand reached out, covering the space between them, running through his dyed blonde hair and pushing him closer into a tight hug. 

"…Because it hurts.." Yuki continued, not quite sure of what was happening but sure what he was saying was right_. _

"God." He heard Seguchi whisper. 

And neither knew, nor understood, what_ was happening and _why_. _[3]

---

[1] Volume 8 ^_^ 

[2] I couldn't help but think about Weiss Kreuz, really. In here, I think I'll have them as a group of singers…or.. more like, in here, they're in a mission where they have to be singers! Yeah! *_* Must be the coke….

[3] There's a reason for this flashback. I swear. And it's not like _THAT_! . Comments, anyone? Be nice…?

Anyway, response to reviews again! :-D (Yay – keep the reviews coming and I'll finish this sooner… I mean, I'll have the chapters up faster : -D I'm such a sucker for reviews…)

CTFA, Vince and Payu – Thanks for adding me to your Favourite Author's list – I'm so happy.. ! XD Not much plot development here, but I hope you like this chapter anyway.. . *panics* I hope it was good enough! :-O! And this isn't my first fic, really. It's my first _anime_ fic – but not fanfic in general. ^^;; I've done videogame fanfics before… ^_^;; I'm not very good at writing anime fics, I know – videogame characters are a bit more easier to write about…

anime-earth – _Rage stomped into Tohma's office, her trusty bazooka resting on her right shoulder, and then pointed said bazooka at the N-G President who was sitting calmly on his desk……_^^;; I'd love to do that, actually, I was playing with the idea but I don't think it my muses (*coughs*) would like that very much… ^^;; So, for now, Rage will be keeping her bazooka in a safe… And this chapter was longer too – though if it's any good… I don't know…

hopemia - *takes the time to worship hopemia* :-D I love your fanfic _Breaking Away _– but I think I've said that many, many times already… ^^;; *blushes* I was so happy/surprised to see your review ^_^. A hint though; the fishy business with Tohma might not be the fishy business you're thinking.. but.. fishy nonetheless, I guess? ^^;; (Not making sense? ^^;; ) I'll make sure to drop more hints on later chapters… And I like the manga better too! And I don't think Shu-chan will kill himself too like that… but… *whistles*

*dances* 

^_^


	7. Meet

Disclaimer: Gravitation does not belong to me. Ne, I doubt Gravitation would be as good if I owned it anyway. I'm not making any money out of this either and am just borrowing its characters….

A/N: First off, let me begin by thanking my faithful readers (**CTFA** and **anime_earth**) and those who reviewed this fanfic so far. *_* My driving force~! 3 THANK YOU! *^^* Moving on, here's chapter seven – the hardest-to-write chapter so far. I really had a hard time getting the stuff for this chapter out. I think it's because I had a whole week to think about it without the chance to actually _write it all down_ so by the time I sat down, it was just all a mess up there. I don't really like this chapter very much, but it get's the job done, I think. I'm not very good at writing conversations, that's a fact, let alone conversations between more than two people, so I'm very sorry! Also, no Eiri here though, I should be bringing him in next chapter, where _stuff_ happens and the first solid truth is revealed… I think. By next chapter, I'll probably have them all gathered up and ready for the main parts…. Wow, now, come to think of it, it's just now that it's all starting to pick up… *_* Long-awaited (I hope? *_*) meeting between Yukito and Eiri should be next chapter :-) So stay tuned? ^^ Drop a review (_yes!)_ and make me feel loved… it'll help move the plot faster that way ^^;; (Still unedited, btw ^^;;)

Oh yeah, from here on, it seems the chapters will be _longer_ – please bear with me people! I'll work hard... .

Seven: Meet

__

'You know, has it ever occurred to you…. what will finding the truth about the whole thing do?' 

Rage slipped one gloved hand into her coat to check the small handgun she kept in her arm holster. Once she was sure it could be drawn easily, she gave her bodyguard a nod and stepped out of the car. With one hand over the roof of the car, she stared at the structure before her defiantly, ready for whatever it had in store for her. That was, if it even had anything in store for her. Despite the possibility of having to use the handgun, she sincerely hoped there was something, _anything_ to find in there. 

"Bill," she told her bodyguard, "You know what to do if I don't call in twenty minutes." 

"Hai."

"Good. I'm going in – try to be inconspicuous, okay? Don't come rushing until something's really up."

"Yes ma'am…. I'll just park the car somewhere—" 

She nodded again and leaned down to give her bodyguard a small smile before closing the side door and putting her shades on. Shoving her hands into her pocket and ignoring the almost-freezing morning temperature, she began the short walk to the building entrance. 

Maybe the precautions she was taking was a bit too much, too ridiculous – it was just a concert hall[1] after all – but if you knew just _who_ you were crossing with, and what lengths that person was willing to go to then you'd be careful too. 

__

'Ohya,' She stopped and stared at the entrance just a mere few meters away. A year and a half ago, Shuichi had gone through the same doors, with that smile and the intention of delivering his best performance so far all the while completely oblivious to what the night had in store for him. _'What are you hiding for Seguchi Tohma?_'

---

Tohma had a calm smile on his face as he sat, cross-legged, watching the Principal from across the room. The Principal took his thick-rimmed glasses and began wiping it with a piece of cloth before speaking.

"Seguchi-san, can I take your word on that?"

Tohma waved his right hand and his eyes narrowed into slits, "I always keep my word, you know that, don't you? But I can't force them—" the NG President leaned forward and, resting his elbows on his lap, clasped his hands together. "—It's up to them to decide whether they'll perform on the twenty-fifth or not."

"I understand. So, when are they coming, Seguchi-san?"

"Today."

"I see. I'll arrange a hosting then, Seguchi-san. Do you… have any idea who I should assign to them?"

Tohma thought for awhile, or feigned to do so anyway, before standing up from his seat and pocketing his hands. "No… no one in particular." He headed for the door and placed a hand on the knob. "Pick whoever you like, Mr. Principal. It doesn't really matter now, does it?"

---

Hiro closed his eyes, losing himself in the beat of the song that was pounding in his ears. No matter how hard he tried, he just couldn't get his mind off what Ragetold him at the cemetery a little more than a week ago. He knew K and the others noticed, though they never said anything, knowing he was capable of sorting things out himself. He didn't need anyone's help when it came to these things but right now he felt like he needed to tell someone, _anyone,_ or else he would be driven insane.

Rage had given him a call last night, or rather left him a message, telling him she'd found a lead of sorts – something that was left out amazingly in the investigation staged a year and a half ago. Her words rang in his ears clearly: _"They never said anything about the surveillance camera – There was _nothing_ except the pathetic excuse— 'It was out of order that night' and nobody pressed for further details on that -- I'm going to check that one out first_." 

He ran a hand through his hair and leaned his head back on the headrest, frustrated. He, in turn, had left a simple message on the XMR Manager's machine right after listening to hers and it consisted of one simple question that spoke volumes. 

__

'You know, has it ever occurred to you…. what will finding the truth about the whole thing do?'

"Hiro, are you okay?" Ryuichi's voice cut through his thoughts and he blinked several times, realizing somebody had pulled an earphone from his ear, before turning to the singer seated beside him. Ryuichi's blue eyes were filled with concern – that much Hiro could tell at one glance.

He smiled. "I'm okay, Ryu-chan. Don't worry." _'Maybe.'_

"That's good – Noriko-chan and me were a bit worried. You weren't saying anything, nah!"

Hiro shifted his weight and peered over the front seat to see Noriko nodding at him. "You were quiet, Hiro… and you haven't even asked where we're heading."

"_Right_." K nodded, tilting his head slightly to show he was listening to them.

Hiro grinned – it lacked the usual impish quality, but that was because he was tired – and folded his arms. "So where are we headed then, Nori?" Hiro asked casually, using the nickname he'd learned to call her in after a year of being band mates. It seemed almost unbelievable he was actually part of Nittle Grasper now.

"K – how about _you_ do the explaining?" Noriko suggested, turning to their blonde manager. 

__

"No Problem." 

---

Yukito let out a quiet whimper, waking him from a restful sleep. He ran a hand through his hair and frowned immediately at the warmth, which could only be sunlight, on his face. Somebody had parted his curtains – not that he minded really, he _did_ have to wake up sometime soon, but that didn't mean he liked it. 

He opened one eye and the first thing he saw was the calendar, placed right beside his glass of water and the antique lamp Ai bought for him last year. The first thing to come to his mind was the fact that it was a Monday and drowsily, he checked what the date was. He stared at the number seventeen, a red circle drawn on it, and tried to read tiny, almost unreadable, words written in English beside it. 

"..G..Germany…?" he read out loud, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. 

__

'Germany? What on eart--'

His eyes widened the moment realization hit him and he jumped out of bed. "_Germany! Germany! Anne and me – the flight! What ti—"_

"_Yukito, calm down._"

The voice came from the doorway and he turned his head to that direction. Freesia was leaning against his door, her arms folded across her chest. 

__

"But the flight!" Yukito cried before calming down and continuing in Japanese. "The flight – Ai… We were supposed to be leaving for Germany this morni—"

"A change of plans." Freesia was shaking her head and chuckling as she responded in Japanese. "Ai told me to tell you when you wake up. She was the one who turned your alarm off too, by the way. Tohjoh-san of Kyoto called in early in the morning, calling for her."

Yukito heaved a sigh of relief as he plopped down on his bed. "_God_, _that_ was scary, Freesia."

The European woman laughed – "Ai would never leave you like that, Yuki."

"I know." 

Yukito smiled as he closed his eyes. "You think I should go to school today, Freesia? _They think I'm on the plane to Germany right now, after all._"

"That is your choice, Yuki." She paused and rolled her eyes, remembering something. "I forgot to mention. Seguchi-san dropped by an hour ago and left this—"

Yukito opened his eyes and looked to Freesia's direction. The European woman produced a rectangular object from behind her, wrapped in plastic, as it seemed to reflect some of the sunlight on it. 

At first he stared and then he caught the words in a clear, crisp white font written on it. "_NITTLE GRASPER._" He read out loud, slowly before sitting up and staring at Freesia in disbelief.

"_Nittle Grasper's….latest….album_?" Yukito asked slowly in clear, English – phrasing each word very, very carefully.

"_Yes_." Freesia confirmed, smiling at him. "And to quote Seguchi-san : _'The Limited Edition which won't be out on the shelves until next month._'"

"No kidding?!" 

"_No kidding, Yukito_." Freesia threw the album across the room to Yukito who caught it expertly. 

"Breakfast will be ready in a few minutes, Yuki. And, Anne wanted me to tell you she might not be back until the end of this week, so do not worry."

Yukito nodded, taking in what Freesia said about his fiancée and watched the European woman walk away, disappearing into the hall and going out of his sight.

Once he could no longer hear the sound of her shoes thudding dully on the carpet, he resumed staring at the album Tohma had given him, no, _personally_ left for him. Sometimes, he just _had _to wonder why the thirty-five-year-old NG President was so kind to him. 

__

'Maybe I'm going to go to school today after all.' 

He stood up and headed for the bathroom. 

---

"So, let me get this straight – Tohma wants us to see if _we_ want to perform at their Music Festival?" 

The American nodded in confirmation and Hiro's eyebrows creased in confusion. "Why can't _he_ just tell us to do it... or not?"

"I _don't_ know." K said simply, "_I think_, he didn't want to... but got pressured, anyway."

Hiro arched an eyebrow, and he folded his arms. "_Pressured? _Seguchi and the word Pressure don't mix together."

Noriko laughed. "That's true – but I think Tohma _has_ reason to let us choose. A lot of labels are supporting and sending their best acts to take part in this Festival – It's _not_ a small thing and it's actually going to get aired on TV. NG would appear to be high-and-mighty if it didn't participate… something like that…"

__

"Right." K nodded.

"Not _right_." Ryuichi interrupted suddenly. "I don't think Tohma's reason is that."

Hiro turned to Ryuichi's direction and noted the serious look on the singer's face. Somehow, he couldn't get what Rage said about the little investigation she did before and the same name the two of them came up with. 

Noriko sat back, "Hmm… why not, Ryuichi? I don't think I see anything els—"

"Tohma doesn't care about the media… much." Ryuichi pointed out. "You remember before, right? Noriko?"

Noriko paused and looked up. "Oh.._Right_… But still!"

Ryuichi didn't say anything more and became quiet suddenly. Hiro would have said something about that, or asked, if K hadn't cut through the silence with an announcement of their arrival to their destination.

---

"So you're the famous Nittle Grasper?" The balding man who seemed to be somewhere in between his late forties and early fifties regarded them with a warm smile. 

Noriko nodded, crossing one leg over another and casually leaning back on the sofa. "Yes. Tohma asked us to go here – he said you have things scheduled and set up for us already?"

K was leaning against the wall, arms folded, and Hiro could almost imagine those slender fingers tucked inside his arms itching for the smooth metal of his magnum. Ryuichi, on the other hand, was seated right beside him, watching the Principal with what seemed to be scrutiny. Hiro rarely saw the brown-haired singer like this, and it was, as always, unsettling.

The Ryuichi seated beside him wasn't the childish Ryuichi offstage, or the serious musician onstage – he was something else and it reminded Hiro somewhat of Seguchi Tohma, truthfully. 

"I have – Seguchi informed me earlier." The Principal told them, "A student will show you around the campus and explain the facts about the Fes—"

"_A student_?" K questioned in English, arching an eyebrow. The Principal gave him a nod. 

"It was supposed to be three – but the other two members of their band is—"

"Isn't that a bit... risky though?" Noriko cut in, "You are aware of the possibility of _Grasper_ refusing to perform on your Fes."

"I am well aware of that, but I have faith in my students." 

The door opened and a tall dark-haired man stepped into the room. "You called for Ruka?" 

"Yes, yes. Takagi-sensei – ask him to go in." 

Shortly after the principal's request, a tall redhead, hands dug into his pockets, sauntered into the room. "I'm hosting _alone_?" the redhead asked before turning to the members of Nittle Grasper and regarding them with a slight nod and then turning to the Principal with a questioning look. "Shouldn't Takumi be doing this? I know all about the 'they might refuse' deal and I'd hate to be the one to bear that burden, thank you."

"Well, at least he's honest." Noriko remarked sharply. 

"You'll have to do with the other two members of your band… unavailable at the moment." The Principal explained, coughing. "You don't have much of a choice either, Izumi."

Ruka groaned. "Alright, alright – I'm doing it. Don't go blaming me if they refuse—" 

He walked to the spot right in front of Hiro before bowing down and introducing himself.

"The name's Ruka – Izumi Ruka. I'm… I'm going to be your host—" he spun on his heels and began walking away. "Follow me."

"Ruka!" Takagi cried in disbelief and Ruka rolled his eyes.

"_What now_?"

Noriko laughed as she got up and then motioned for her band mates, and Manager, to follow the red-haired student out of the Principal's office.

Once they were outside, their host stopped and grinned at them. "I hope you don't like formal tours because I don't do that crap. Takumi and Yuki do that bu—" He was cut off when his mobile phone began ringing to the tune of _Don't Stop the Music _[2].

Excusing himself, Ruka checked the caller ID and blinked at the name on the screen.

__

Fujiwara Yukito

"Aren't you in Germany right now, chibi?" Ruka muttered, arching an eyebrow and forgetting about _Grasper_ momentarily. 

---

__

"Where the hell are you and what in hell are you_ doing?!"_

Yukito laughed at the first thing he heard from his friend and ignored the mild curses, said jokingly of course, that followed afterwards before answering simply. "I'm on my way to school – in my car, driving..." He glanced at the speedometer and, without missing a beat, added "…at 80 km/h. I should be there in no time."

__

Back on the rocks, back on the rocks, baby 

Koutetsu no PURAIDO wa 

"_Yuki_, shouldn't you be on a plane to Germany _with_ Ai right now?" There was a pause and then Ruka asked slowly, "What's that I hear _blaring_ from the speakers, _chibi_?"

"Ai couldn't go, she's in Kyoto right now and... oh… that? Um.. _Back on the Rocks[3]_? You know I like playing these kinds of songs when I'm driving--" He turned sharply around a curve and slowed down slightly to readjust the mobile phone ear piece [4] in his left ear. 

"_Chibi_, you do _know_ _we_ all think you're on a plane right now, right?"

"Uh... yes?" He stepped on the gas pedal, before muttering, _"Eighty-five…Ninety…._"

"Then why the hell are you going to school then? _I'd_ stay at home and not go to school until next week—You're excused, weren't you, _chibi_?"

"_You_ don't want me to go to school?" Yukito caught a glimpse of a red car behind him through the rearview mirror and smirked.

__

"No.. it's not that, look, you don't need to go to school right now…_really_."

"I wasn't really planning to, you know? But, see, I got _Grasper's_ latest album an—" He turned sharply to his right, noticing the car had come up to his car's side, and arched an eyebrow. The window on the other car rolled down and a familiar face framed in a shock of pink hair [5] waved at him before giving him a series of hand signals. He grinned mischievously, understanding what that series of signals meant. "Ruka, have to go, I'll be there in a few minutes—" He hung up, and then removed the ear piece in his left ear. He rolled his own window down and turned to the pink-haired driver in the other car.

"_Race?"_ He yelled, his voice just barely above the music. The driver from the other car grinned before replying in the same manner.

"_You're on Yuki!"_

The windows rolled up and both drivers stepped on their gas pedals, intent on outdoing the other.

---

"Sorry for the wait." Ruka said, pocketing his mobile phone. He walked up to them, one hand raking through his red hair. He let out a laugh then before telling no one in particular, and perhaps more to himself, "A few minutes? He's going to hit poor unsuspecting pedestrians in the process… I swear, he's going to get someone killed soon…"

"It wasn't long." Noriko replied, walking up to the redhead, her hands folded above her chest, "Though if you make us wait any more like that, then you can say goodbye to us playing on your Fes." She smiled and craned her neck to Ryuichi's direction. "Isn't that right, Ryuichi?"

"_Right_." The singer was leaning against the wall, arms folded. A confident smile was playing on the singer's lips, almost taunting. Hiro was watching the exchange from his place beside K who was too preoccupied with his magnum to really notice.

"Look." Ruka began, "The other student assigned to you guys had a change of plans – you _can _wait for a _few minutes_, can't you?"

Noriko shrugged and placed her arms on her hips. "Just a _few minutes_? Sure, we can – as long as that few minutes doesn't stretch to thirty."

"I can be sure of that." Ruka's eyes narrowed suddenly, remembering something. He rolled his eyes and spun around, heading towards a classroom.

"Some students are having rehearsal right now in here." He said, hand on the doorknob, "but this classroom has a _great_ view of the campus front – that way you'll know just _when_ Yuki arrives."

"Eh?" Hiro arched an eyebrow. "What do you mean by that?"

"Let's just say our keyboardist has a car and he transforms into some kind of _demon_ when put behind the wheels – that simple enough?"

Ruka gave the brunette guitarist a smirk before turning sharply at the faint sound of engines roaring. He motioned for them to come closer to the window and only moments later after doing so, two very-expensive-looking sport cars came into view – one bright blue, one red, both headed towards the campus at a very high speed. 

Within seconds, the both cars were at the gate and the red car came in first with a burst of speed right at the last second. The blue one, its path having been taken by the red car, swerved suddenly and _drifted_ into the campus loudly before coming into a screeching halt a mere several feet in front of the main building's entrance. 

The red car came into a stop meters away from the blue one, and its pink-haired driver jumped out. Shouting "_I win!_" repeatedly in thriumph, which could be heard up to the third floor, it became evident the pink-haired owner of the red car was a vocalist.

Meanwhile, a brunette stepped out of the blue car, backpack slung over his right shoulder and something in his left hand. The pink-haired teen rushed to give the brunette a glomp and moments later Ruka's mobile phone sounded.

"I'm here!" Yukito said cheerily with a grin over the phone.

---

Rage peered into the creak on the door, a hand inside her coat, ready to draw the handgun in there. When she entered the building, she had been expecting some kind of resistance and was more than ready to lie about her company wanting to check out the concert hall for a planned tour but found the guard in charge of the door unconscious behind the door. She saw Ohya—she recognized the man, having looked into the place's records beforehand—seated and visibly sweating on one of the sofa There was someone else in the office and, looking closer, she realized it was a young woman. 

"Ohya-san," the young woman was saying, her arms on her hips. "Hand over the videotape."

"I told you! There's no such thing—"

"This is a friggin' high-profile concert hall. How am I supposed to be believe there's no footage of it?"

__

'Footage?…. The surveillance camera…? She's after the same thing?' Rage thought, placing a hand on her lips.

"….Trust me.. there's _no_ such thing… the cameras were out-of-or---"

"That's what _they_ say." The young woman took a step forward. "Seriously, _Ohya-san_, I _know_ there _is_ one."

There was no response and the young woman continued, her voice extremely confident.

"Ohya-san. I'll tell you what – _I _have the report finished already… They're going to be airing it _tonight_. _My_ story… and that's _with or_ _without_ the videotape." There was a pause. "What do you think will it do to _your_ career if they found out about you and Seguchi-san's _little_ agreement?"

A pause – Rage held her breath.

"_That's_ classified as _corruption_, you know?"

"_It's_ not – Seguchi-san made sure he talked with the Po—" Ohya clamped a hand over his mouth, shaking, and the young woman laughed.

"You do realize I'm taping this?"

"God.. please. _No._"

"Hand over the videotape and I'll make sure your name is saved." 

"Nothing about this conversation gets out?"

"I'll zip my mouth, _Ohya-san_. You have my word on it."

Ohya stood from his seat, and disappeared from Rage's line of sight while the young woman appeared. There was a familiar-looking ID around the young woman's neck and she had stark black hair that reached down to her shoulder. She was wearing a knee-length coat, which she kept only partially buttoned up and black jeans. She was holding a gun in her hand.

The sounds of drawers being opened brought Rage's attention back to what she came there for and moments later she saw a blur of black flying to the woman's direction. It was the videotape; Rage realized.

"Thanks, Ohya-san. I'll keep this in mind—" the woman said, giving the old man a bow.

Rage realized moments too late that the woman was leaving. She scrambled in search of a hiding place, but before she could find one, the door burst open.

__

"Stop." She heard the woman say in flawless English. _"Your hands, I want them up."_

She didn't have to look behind to know a gun was pointed at her back. 

---

[1] What do you call those places anyway? I… don't know. *_*

[2] It's from Initial D – Vocal Battle and is sung by Seki Tomokazu. Lovely song… can't get it off my mind so it's there ^^;; I know, I'm such a freak…

[3] From Initial D – Vocal Battle again…*_*

[4] It's that earphone-like device, with an attached mic somewhere in the line you plug to your mobile phone so you can talk without pressing the darn thing against your ear. ^^;; I don't know what you call it again, so : 3

[5] I couldn't help. You'll know later… ^_^

CPV-Phantoms-CTFA – (*decided to use your FFnet handle this time* How should I call you better? *_* I _could_ just write all of you…^^;;) XD Ahh! I'm flattered! I'm flattered! My head is getting bigger..XD! Anyway, I'm glad you liked chapter six! And… well, regarding Yukito and Tohma…depends on how you define _like_ ^^ Hopefully, this chapter is just as good as my previous chapters… because it really seems like it isn't, right now anyway… It does have a bit of plot advancement! So Yay!

Nyoko – *_* I'm glad you think it's a good mystery, and I hope I can unfold it all sooner or later. As for the characters – ahh! I seem to confuse everyone… but I guess that's why this is a mystery… Hopefully, come the next chapters the readers won't be so confused anymore. (Do I even have readers? *_*) Yuki and Ai have a big part in the plot… and I do mean, though not in the same way. ^^;; Not making sense, but I hope to elaborate that… soon.. yes.. soon.. once I have the mystery behind Shuichi's death explained, it'll all come.. yeeees!

anime_earth -- I was thinking of doing that when I wrote those parts, really, but I have a thing for not revealing which character I'm focusing on sometimes until a certain part. I guess, it's a style that I use often… This chapter doesn't have Yukito and Eiri meeting, but for sure, I'll have the two of them meeting next chapter *glares at her muses: hear that?* so don't worry ^^;; Oh and, I'll write about Tohma's actual relationship with Ai sometime… as well as the first time he met Yukito… *whistles innocently*

www (dot) deviantart (dot) com/view/3940717/ -- simple, colored scribble with Tohma and Yukito in it….

And, finally, I love _License to Shrill_ by Melody Mist and I want more _Breaking Away_ by hopemia. *_* 

^_^


	8. Unreality 1

Disclaimer: Gravitation does not belong to me. Ne, I doubt Gravitation would be as good if I owned it anyway. I'm not making any money out of this either and am just borrowing its characters….

A/N: *claps her hands and goes all teary* Wow, I got lotsa reviews this time! I feel happy – **_THANK YOU!_** Anyway, I'm _so_ sorry this one does _not_ have Eiri meeting up with Yukito _yet_ but that's because this is just the first part – I actually have more written down, but it's getting so amazingly long (like ten pages long right now) so I had to cut it into two. The second part is only halfway finished, and I should have that one done in a few days. Now, _that_ one should _really_ have Yukito and Yuki meeting, as well as Hiro's thoughts on Yukito. This chapter deals on the entrance of more characters and, after this, there probably won't be anymore new characters. Which is good, ne? No more confusion! Once again : **I'm so sorry!** **SORRY!** I promise, I'll work hard… . Don't hate me? Once again, this is _still_ **unedited** but I like to think I'll get back on editing this story one day – I mean, I _already_ have minor edits for some of the previous chapters… Drop a review! Reviews are good! And I _need_ to know what I'm doing wrong…. Also, I know the style this chapter is somewhat different and the characters are a bit _off_, but I guess I'm still getting used to the Gravi characters…. Anyway, _Enjoy!_

Eight: Unreality (1)

He was standing alone in the dark hall, his back pressed against the cold wall while he held his mobile phone close to his chest tightly, as if afraid to lose the only connection he had with his lover. He hung up only moments ago and even though his lover had not picked up the phone to talk to him, he knew deep down his lover had been listening to every word he said over the phone; right from his greeting to his tender bidding of goodnight. He took a deep breath and slowly exhaled, his eyes closed all that time. He would see him tomorrow; that was for sure. He was getting back. 

"I'll see you tomorrow, _Eiri_." 

His voice was trembling when he whispered those words, doubting himself for a reason he wouldn't have been able to explain had he been pressed to do so right at that moment. The last exchange he had with his boss had been troubling, true enough, but why was it troubling him so much? It was nothing! He was safe and everything was going to be alright. 

He didn't hear the footsteps and failed to notice the shadow cast over his small form.

---

Rage turned her head slightly to her right, acknowledging the presence of her adversary with unusual calm. "_And what if I don't?_" She questioned in the same flawless English the other woman had used earlier. As she waited for the other woman's response, she was already measuring the time it would take for her to draw her own gun.

"_That's simple: I shoot._" The other woman replied a matter-of-factly, her voice smooth and confident. Rage knew by the tone of her opponent's voice that she wasn't kidding. But kidding or not, Rage was not going let the woman have her way, whoever or whatever she was.

A few moments of silence passed and the tension between them continued to build up until Rage, in one fluid movement, pulled her handgun out from its holster and spun around before rolling away just in time to avoid the speeding bullet fired at her direction. Now standing right beside her opponent, she pointed her gun at the other woman's temple and realized, by doing so, that _she_ was taller than her by a few inches.

She cocked her gun. "_Who are you?!_" 

"_None of your business._" Her opponent took a step back before sweeping her hand in an arc and firing several shots at Rage who dodged each and every shot with practiced ease. Exchanging gunfire with her opponent, the thought of injuring the other never came to her mind, perhaps because her opponent was skilled – too skilled to be an ordinary journalist, or reporter, whatever she was.

She tripped and rolled unceremoniously on the cold cement floor when a bullet grazed right leg, cutting through the thick material of her denim jeans and leaving a thin cut on her skin underneath. Realizing her vulnerability, she fired at her opponent's general direction to keep her back. She missed, of course, but she hadn't intended to injure the other woman by doing so in the first place. 

Rage's green eyes[1] met with the other woman's deep blue ones and the two engaged in a staring match. Rage made no move to stand up, while her opponent remained rooted on her spot, her gun trained on Rage. 

The other woman broke into a smile suddenly, completely taking Rage off-guard. "_You're good. Now it's my turn to ask… Who sent you_?" She twirled the gun in her hand and then began reloading it. It was a signal for Rage to get back on her feet.

Rage rose then, brushing the imaginary dirt on her coat and pants before tucking the strands of misplaced red hair behind her ears. "_Nobody sent me_." She replied conversationally, though the tension between them never lessened.

The other woman's lips curved into a smirk as she lifted her gun to aim it at Rage. "_I know who sent you_." she said softly, her gaze on her softening for a few moments before turning into a glare. "_Seguchi. It was Tohma Seguchi, wasn't it_?"

Surprising Rage once more, the other woman just smiled at her when she did not reply. "_Right_?"

Rage opened her mouth. "_No—that's…_"

"_Miss RAGE!" _She turned her head to the direction of the voice and managed to catch a glimpse of her bodyguard's blonde hair before a hand grabbed her by her shoulder and pulled her back. She let out a cry of protest when she realized what her bodyguard was up to, but was too late to stop him. 

"_Bill!_" Rage howled but her bodyguard was not listening. She didn't really need this now; she was sure by who the woman thought she was that they could talk things out. Bill cocked his gun, eyes unreadable, as it always was when a threat to his boss was present. 

To Rage's relief, and amusement, the woman seemed to know they could resolve things in peace and instead of answering to her bodyguard's movement by cocking her own gun, she gave it a playful twirl before putting it back in its holster. 

Suddenly looking _far _younger, the woman held her hands up and smiled at them. _"Gomenasai."_ She chirped before turning to Rage and establishing eye contact. Deep blue eyes, no longer cold, met with green eyes. "_You're Rage…. Melissa Rage?"_

"_How…"_ Bill started but was forced to stop right there when Rage stepped up and placed a hand over his shoulder. She gave him a silent look that Bill easily understood and he withdrew his gun, placing it back in the hidden pocket inside his blazer. 

__

"How did you know?" Rage questioned, arching an eyebrow and then crossing her arms over her shoulder. Forgetting about the little bullet-exchange between them earlier, she continued. "_And why did you think Seguchi sent me?"_

The woman did not reply and she tilted her had up, as if to listen, before taking a few strides towards Rage. "_I know a great western cuisine restaurant a few blocks from here, how about I treat you for lunch?"_ When Rage frowned at her, she gave the redhead a winsome smile, "_Don't worry, Ohya will fix things from here – he won't say anything_."  


Bill started but the woman held her palm out. "_Nah, I'll explain everything to your boss, okay? I'm good." _

She linked her arms with Rage's as she led them out. _"Oh, by the way, I'm Kyoko. You can call me Kat, if you want – that's my nick_."[2]

---

Bill was leaning against the hood of their black nondescript car, waiting and watching them under the oversized shades he rarely ever used. Rage stole a glance of him from her seat beside the window, wondering briefly how he could stand waiting _so much_ and guessed that was probably part of the extensive training they were put through, before turning to Kyoko who was seated across the table. The nineteen-year-old Business Management student was dictating her orders in Japanese to the waiter assigned to their table and picking for her as well.

Once she was done giving her orders, and the waiter was gone, Kyoko turned all her attention to Rage. _"So, what do you want to know?" _ She asked casually. The younger woman rested her chin on a propped up arm and waited patiently with a smile. Rage found it a bit hard to believe she'd had a firefight with the same _girl_ seated across the table less than half-an-hour ago.

"_Mmm…_" Rage began, ignoring the curious looks the other patrons inside the restaurant directed at them. Both of them agreed it was better, not to mention, easier to converse in their mother tongue instead of Japanese. Besides, both of them knew the topic of their conversation was a bit… confidential. _"First of all, how did you know about me? How did you know I was interested…?"_

Kyoko bit her lip, _"That's a bit hard to explain. But… you see… I have my sources." _

"That doesn't really qualify as an answer, y'know? And you're nineteen… sources?"

Kyoko laughed, _"Yeah, it doesn't, no? But… I found information on your check when I ran my own – my father has friends in the CIA… and.. some other sources…"_

Rage started.

__

"Don't ask –" Kyoko cut her off, holding her palm out to the redhead as a sign, "_I really just did. And… I got curious, so I did my homework."_

"I don't get why a nineteen-year-old Business Management student is interested in this, honestly." Rage cut in, folding her arms.

__

"That's… a secret. But, anyway… I found out stuff about you. You were Shuichi Shindou's manager for a few months, and you quit XMR to go to Japan with him before later on returning to America and XMR as Ryuichi Sakuma's new manager[3]—"

"That's common news though…."

__

"…. Eh.. well, I found out you were .. close… to Shuichi so—"

__

"Close?"

__

"…Sort of anyway." Kyoko corrected, frowning. Leaning closer, she continued, "_I wanted to meet you so you can help me and I can help you… y'know? A collaboration. And it was just my luck, I guess, you went there the same time I did_."

__

"So you didn't plan that_?"_

__

"Nope." 

Rage was unsatisfied with Kyoko's answers and she folded her arms impatiently just to get that fact across. _"So what did you mean by _'your report'_ in your conversation with Ohya _then_?" _

Kyoko's mouth opened in an 'o' before Rage even finished. She gave Rage an amused look before going; _"Oh, so you _were_ eavesdropping! I was wondering how long you've been there—"_

Rage frowned. "_My question?" _She tried _not_ to sound sarcastic, but did so anyway. 

"_Hmm_…" Kyoko cupped her chin and looked thoughtful, "_How do I put this into words now…?"_

Just then, the waiter came to their table again, this time carrying their orders. After laying their plates on their table, the waiter left with a silent bow and a quiet 'Enjoy your meal' in broken English. Kyoko waved at her afterwards before handing her a fork and a spoon. "_Try it out_." She said, "_The curry here tastes _awesome_."_

Hesitantly, Rage took the utensils in her hand before giving the plate before staring at her plate warily. _"Okay…" _She dug her spoon in.

__

"Don't worry, ne, trust me – it taste's good." That said, Kyoko spooned a spoonful from her own plate into her mouth to demonstrate and after swallowing she continued. "_Anyway… the report? You're wondering about the report…." _She trailed away and looked up the ceiling, thinking.

"_I got a deal with a TV station and they agreed to help me. See, they want this story too… It's going to air tonight." _Her expression turned serious and she suddenly looked older than Rage. _"It's going to show the _whole_ of Japan some of the facts they left out last year." _

Rage's eyes narrowed. The plate of curry in front of her forgotten, Rage leaned forward and listened intently to what Kyoko was saying.

Kyoko turned to her, her lips curved into a smile that was both serene and mysterious, before continuing, "_I'm going to reveal to Japan… to the world… " _her voice dipped, _"that Shuichi Shindou was _murdered._" _Her eyes narrowed as she turned to Rage once more and with a mischievous glint in her eyes she finished, "_And I have the videotape to prove it all_."

Rage let out the breath she didn't realize she was holding. "_You've seen it_." She breathed.

Kyoko looked away, smirking before returning her gaze to the redhead seated across the table. Planting her hands on the table, she rose from her seat and leaned close to Rage until Rage could feel the younger woman's warm breath on her skin. "_I intend to unravel this mystery and show the world who are to blame…." _Kyoko let out a low chuckle, knowing that didn't quite answer the redhead's previous statement. She spoke then in a low whisper that sent shivers down Rage's spine:

__

"You'll see later, what I mean. Tonight, Japan is going to be given its truth."

---

"So, where are you Ruka, anyway?" Yukito watched the patch of red outside one of the windows on the second floor, "Give me your exact classroom…" 

Ruka's reply was abrupt; "2-B, and make it fast, okay, _chibi_?" 

Yukito grinned and the pink-haired teen standing beside him gave him his best _pout_ while he waited for him to finish talking to the phone. He laughed before giving Ruka his response. "_OK. Be there in a jiffy then_."

He hung up and then turned to the pinkhead beside him, amused. "So, what's up Juni?" He slipped his mobile phone in his pants' pocket before beginning to take small steps. 

The pinkhead, who was just about his height, followed him. "You're _supposed_ to be on a plane to Germany right now, with your fiancée for some _lovin' lovin'_ time…." Juni pointed out in a teasing tone. Yukito stopped and his cheeks had red tint to it.

"Okay, what do you _want_, Juni?" Yukito asked with a laugh, spinning around sharply to face the pink-haired boy and give him a suspicious look. 

Juni held his hands up in the air as if to show Yukito he was hiding nothing and smiled innocently, "Want me to park your car for you?" 

Yukito arched an eyebrow before placing both hands on his hips. "You have a price, don't you?"

The pinkhead licked his lips, nodding. "_Yup_." He said proudly. 

Yukito turned his back on Juni and began walking away, his left hand already in his pocket, fingering the car keys there. 

"_Bird_ for me later, Yuki?"[4] Juni asked tentatively and Yukito stopped, twisting his body slightly before sending his keys sailing towards the pinkhead's direction.

__

"Sold." 

He threw his head back and laughed when he heard Juni's triumphant cry behind him before breaking into a run into the school building. 

Intent on getting as fast as he could to the classroom Ruka was in, Yukito ran across the halls at breakneck speed, knowing very well nobody would be wandering the walls aimlessly at this time. He was taken completely by surprise when someone walked into his path and was too late to stop himself from colliding with that someone.

He let out a small yelp when he fell on his rear. 

"Are you alright?" A female voice, sincerely worried, asked and when he looked up the first thing he saw was a silver ring on a pale, slender ring finger of the hand held out to him. He took the hand and he realized the person he'd just collided into was a woman. He deduced the woman was left-handed since she helped him up with her left hand, not her right. 

The woman was beautiful, with long black hair kept in a single, neat braid that ran down to her waist, and warm brown eyes. Her skin was slightly tanned, but that did not detract from her beauty at all.

"_Thanks_… ah, I'm sorry about that! See I was hurrying! Sorry! Sorry!" He bowed apologetically at the woman. When the woman didn't say anything, he looked up and found the woman watching him curiously.

He felt awkward under the woman's gaze. "Um… what?"

The woman laughed softly, lifting a hand to her mouth. "It's funny, for once I thought I ran into Shindou Shuichi." 

Yukito blinked and he stared at the woman in confusion for a few moments before realization finally hit him. He managed a smile, "Eh… that's a first. I'm usually mistaken for Sakuma Ryuichi…."

The woman nodded, and then remembering something suddenly, bowed her head, "Oh, I haven't introduced myself! I'm Nanae Kasumi… you are?"

Yukito smiled, bowing his head, "Fujiwara Yukito… it's a pleasure to meet you."

Nanae laughed, nodding. "Same here – oh…. Do you know where the restroom is?"

Yukito nodded and opened his mouth to answer her but was interrupted when an all-too-familiar classmate of his marched up to them. Setsuna bowed at Nanae, his coffee-brown hair falling over his eyes, "I've been looking all over for you, Nanae-san."

He straightened up, and as if only noticing Yukito's presence, regarded the brunette with a flat, "Oh, you're here."

Yukito's eyes narrowed dangerously – he never did like Setsuna. It wasn't because Setsuna had anything against him – if any, the coffee-haired senior who was a year older than him, ignored him usually – but rather because Takumi and the guy were rivals. Bitter rivals, from what Yukito had seen.

"Sorry for worrying you – " Nanae told Setsuna as he led her to, Yukito guessed, their assigned room. Yukito turned on his heels and was about to leave when Nanae waved at him. "I'll see you around, Fujiwara-san."

Yukito replied with a nod and a smile, happy that at least Nanae was nice, before heading off to the nearest staircase.

Nanae watched the brunette go and let Setsuna lead her off to their assigned classroom, which was just a few steps away. Once they were inside, Setsuna excused himself once more, leaving her with the only other occupants of the room. She took a step forward and clasped her hands in front of her.

The long-haired blonde, at one end of the room, stood away from the wall and regarded her with a curious look while the brunette standing beside him unplugged the earphones in his ears. Both watched as the tall Japanese woman glided across the near-empty classroom towards the lone figure seated beside the window, looking out in silence. 

Hearing her quiet footsteps, the black-haired man regarded her by turning his head to her and then turning his head again, back to the window, as if to say her arrival wasn't important. The man murmured, "So, you're back?"

Nanae smiled. 

"I ran into someone who looks like Shindou Shuichi on the way, Aizawa – this school is really going all out with their Music Fes, I suppose."

Aizawa Taki's head snapped to her direction and he gaped at Nanae, shock clearly written on his face.

---

[1] We don't really find out what her eye color is, I think, and I can't remember if I decided a color for her already or not, so for now it's green :-) I swear, I'm the world's most inconsistent writer.. ^_~

[2] Yes, another new character. But anyway, when Rage and Kat (and K and basically any other character) speak in italics it usually means they're speaking in English– hopefully nobody got confused.

[3] Like I said before, I think, my chinese isn't very good, but I re-read that part from volume 12 and now I'm pretty sure Sakuma Ryuichi broke down Grasper again to go with Rage to America…

[4] Next part….. Does anybody know what he meant there? :-O ^^

CPV-Phantoms-CTFA – Don't kill me! I'm so sorry I took so long! I couldn't get the tiny gunfight between Kat and Rage right! _So SORRY!_ I hope you like this chapter though.. I'll have the next part up soon, and then we can start dropping big hints and who's behind Shuichi's death… : 3 I'm glad I made your day filled with joy ^^;; Wow, you're making my head big with all your wonderful reviews… I should hug you… Thank you!! I'll keep on working… was this chapter a cliff-hanger though? ^^

akeleven – I'll try and explain better then… hopefully things will become clearer soon.. *looks at her muses* I think I'm starting to get confused with the plot myself…. j/k 

lost in a reverie – Yup, bad Tohma. ^^ But we like him that way….Anyway, I'm working on their reaction to Yukito… *glowers at Ryuichi, Hiro, Noriko and K* They're working with me.. so far. :-) But it's in the next part… it _has_ to be there….

anime_earth – First off, the pink-haired boy isn't Yukito. ^^ But I'm pretty sure you've noticed that. Anyway, Tohma has reasons for everything… sometimes I think he's being too nice but he did that. That's gonna cause some trouble later…. But.. shhh! And Yukito (you keep referring to Yuki as Shuichi.. hee.. so sure? ^^) and Ai were supposed to have a short vacation (a few days to a week) in Germany, since that's the only time Ai has when she's totally free.. but, well, it didn't happen, ne? And I think you'll like how Yukito and Eiri will meet then…..

baybhie_angel – Thanks. Though I think a few chapters later, my story won't be so unique. But anyway, I _love_ your fanfic to death…! ^^ And waah.. when are you posting the next chapter?! :-O!! I wanna know what happens to Yuki! 

Nyoko – Well! Hopefully this lives up to you expectation! I worked hard on the gunfight just for you ^^;; I'm not very good at writing action… hee… and, sorry for the delay too ^^ Muses took a holiday… 

rulerofthecows – Don't worry! I want Shuichi to be alive too… but... *looks at fic* Guess he's dead here… or is he? ^^ I hope this chapter answered your question! That one over there was a bit of a teaser…. It will be explained all in the next part, at least I'll try to explain it anyway! :-O! 

Pato San - :-) I'm glad you like it! (I'm flattered too..XD) And you think it rocks? Thanks! ^^ I can't wait either to just tell you guys what I have in mind! I'll work hard! I really will! ^^ 

And, finally – My friend's recently gotten me hooked on _W-inds_ songs so the next chapter will probably have inserts from songs by that group. And _Super Lover_ is top on the list… *sniffs* It's almost Christmas but it looks like I won't be finishing it before that…. Must work hard! I **need** more _Shuusama_ and _Breaking Away_! 

^__^


	9. Unreality 2

Disclaimer: Gravitation does not belong to me. Ne, I doubt Gravitation would be as good if I owned it anyway. I'm not making any money out of this either and am just borrowing its characters….

A/N: _Yay!_ I finally finished the second part! :-D That sure took quite a while to write… I had to hurry it all up a bit at the end, but I plan on putting some of the parts which weren't here but happened in between that time and _that_ time on the next chapter. This was a bit weird, I know, and I don't really like how this came out… but, it does the job (I think I say this a bit too much) and I'm glad it's done. . T'was really hard. Hopefully, everyone will like this… and if not, I'll work hard next time! Gomen! Once again, thank you to the wonderful people who reviewed :-) And, this is, as usual it seems, still unedited. I'll get back to it sometime though… or ask someone to edit it for me… *_* Comments and Criticisms are more than welcome! Drop a review… review… almost thirty… (Maybe I'll make a drawing for the thirtieth reviewer? :-O)

Anyway, explanations for certain stuff will be at the end of this chapter, as well as some character stuff. I know, they're confusing... . Gomen… And finally, it's hard writing K and Ryuichi…

*minor edit – fixed character sketches links : )

Nine: Unreality (2)

Eiri rolled his eyes, when his younger brother, placing both of hands on his shoulder, repeated his previous plea. "Come on… come! Come! You _have _to come!"

Heaving a sigh, Eiri finally stopped attempting to _work_ with Tatsuha standing beside him, bent on making him come to some family dinner their older sister had in mind for next week. He spun on his chair and glowered at Tatsuha.

"No." he said flatly.

Tatsuha slumped his shoulders, "Come on – it means _a lot_ to sis!"

"Since when did _you_, of all people, care about Mika, anyway---?" Yuki questioned, unconvinced by the pitiful look on Tatsuha's face.

"Since yesterday?" Tatsuha said hopefully. Eiri rolled his eyes.

"No."

"Since she began flooding my machine with the same message all night?" 

"No."

"Come on! She's been nagging me to _make_ _you_ come… _Aniki_.. please just _come_ –"

"Welcome to my world." Eiri said suddenly, "Be thankful it's not her husband you have to put up with."

"_Please_?"

Eiri shook his head and spun on his chair, returning to his work. "My answer is still _no_. I have a deadline – go away."

"Your deadline isn't even until next year!" Tatsuha protested. He pouted when Eiri practically ignored him. "You know… I can ask Ryu-chan to dress up as Shuichi next ti---"

"No_._"

"—and then maybe I can have convince him to get into that sailor suit…"

"Tatsuha…"

"I'll share?"

"OUT."

That was the last straw, Tatsuha knew, but he knew he _had_ to try anyway. Within a few seconds, his brother's wrath was upon him and the blonde displayed his expertise when it came to convincing people to leave his apartment with just _the look_. It didn't take long until Tatsuha found himself outside the front door, staring at the cloudless sky and wondering why something like this could happen in an otherwise _perfect_ morning.

He sighed and raked a hand through his hair. "How am I going to convince the prick?" He asked no one in particular before casting one last look at Eiri's front door.

"_Aniki_." He muttered under his breath. He dug his hands into his jacket pockets and wondered what Ryuichi was doing and where he was right at that moment. It was going to be one long morning, and at times like this, he just _had_ to _hate_ his College schedule.

---

__

Shuichi turned his head towards him, smiling that smile that had, on countless many occasions, made Hiro feel everything was going to be alright. "Ne, I'll just give Yuki a call then I'll follow you guys, 'kay?"

Hiro strode towards Shuichi and placed a hand on the smaller man's arm, "Sure thing – you just take your time with your Yuki-sensei…"

"Hiro!"

Hiro laughed, "See you in a bit, don't take too long – otherwise Suguru'll bitch enough and we'll actually leave you behind."

Shuichi looked worried, but there was amusement in his eyes, "That's mean." 

"You bet." Hiro grinned.

Shuichi bit his lower lip before smiling at him. "See you later, Hiro – be back in a few minutes." With a laugh, the pink-haired singer turned his back on his brunette friend and disappeared into the dark hall…

"See you later, Hiro." 

"Sorry for making you wait!"

Those were the exact words he wanted to hear from Shuichi, if he could somehow come back from the dead. Hiro wished so badly he'd stopped Shuichi, threatened him enough so he wouldn't bother give his _Yuki_ a call. If he hadn't gone off, Hiro knew he would still be alive today. 

__

"God chibi_ – It's about time you got here!" _

"Sorry! Sorry, I ran into some trouble..."

'What the…? Where did that come from?' Hiro cracked an eye open and saw Ruka at the doorway, talking to someone. He opened both of his eyes to get a better look. Ruka _was_ talking to someone and that someone sounded like Shuichi. _Too much like Shuichi._

---

Yukito slowed down his pace – turning from a dash to a stead-paced jog – once he reached the second floor. Already, he could hear the faint sounds of music and voices coming from the otherwise soundproof classrooms and feel his heart beating to the rhythm of some pop rock song being played inside the room just around the corner. He smiled inwardly, feeling his heart swell with pride when he thought about his special little high school. 

He headed quickly to the 2-B classroom, knowing the way by heart, and slowed down into a walk when the sign with the words '2-B' on it became clearly visible. That's when he reached inside his pocket to pull out the small tinted glasses he liked wearing, especially when they were performing, and then stuffed the Limited Edition CD into his backpack. He smiled, remembering what Tohma said when he asked why the blonde liked wearing hats so much, as he put the tiny specs on. Tohma had said it was for the sake of having a trademark, though later on, it became somewhat of a habit. 

For him though, he'd been wearing those specs for as long as he could remember, it seemed, so it wasn't simply for trademark. He couldn't remember though when Ai'd gotten it for him but that really didn't matter since he couldn't remember a lot to begin with. What mattered was _today_, not the past.

Turning to the empty hall behind him one last time, as if to make sure it _was_ empty, he marched towards the room 2-B door and slid it open. 

"Sorry for making you wait!" was the first thing he said when he peeked into the room and saw Ruka's unmistakable red head. 

The tall redhead spun on his heels and headed his way, his face unreadable. Placing a hand over the door, he glowered at the smaller brunette at the doorway. "God_,_ _chibi –_ it's about time you got here!"

Yukito winced, wondered for a second there just how long he delayed, and looked away shamefully. "Sorry! Sorry, I ran into some trouble..."

Ruka rolled his eyes and sighed. He shook his head and placed a hand over Yukito's head. "Okay, whatever, _chibi_. _Look_," Ruka he bent down to Yukito's eye-level and continued in a whisper. "_Grasper_'s here." 

He stopped there and waited for Yukito's delayed reaction, which came a full minute later. The brunette stared at Ruka then with his blue eyes wide. Ruka didn't say anything, but nodded to confirm the question in Yukito's eyes. Seconds later, Yukito spoke finally, "So you're dumping it on me." 

Ruka looked away, avoiding Yukito's suddenly accusing eyes. "Two words: sort of."

"Where's Takumi?" Yukito asked immediately, sounding slightly worried. He had a feeling this was important and he was being given a terribly heavy burden. He, at least, wanted someone else to share that burden with, since the carefree guitarist of their band didn't _know_ anything about touring and cajoling people _nicely_. 

"Campus One[1]." Ruka answered quickly, "The poor guy chose to have his Japanese Literature exam today since he_ knew_ _you_ won't be available today. But _anyway_—" The redhead then grabbed Yukito by the collar of his jacket and yanked him into the room, backpack and all.

"_Chibi_ we've made our guests wait for too long already. Go introduce yourself!" 

Yukito groaned as he straightened himself up and almost shrunk when he saw the way the members of the famous _Nittle Grasper _were watching closely. He managed a nervous laugh, ran a hand through his hair and took a deep breath before grinning widely at them. 

"Well, I have a feeling Ruka's said stuff about me already, but anyway: I'm Fujiwara Yukito." He bowed down formally and, placing a hand over his chest, he continued, smiling wider, "You can call me Yuki and… Ruka and I'll be your host for today." 

---

He knitted his eyebrows as he studied the boy before them. He ran his eyes up and down the boy's small form, not quite sure what to think of what he was seeing. Yukito was just about Shuichi's height and build, though he didn't look it because of his choice of clothes which made him look taller and older. Not only that, the seventeen, eighteen-year-old teen _looked_ and _sounded_ just like Shuichi. 

Hiro knew that if it weren't ever present in his mind that his best friend was dead, he would have believed Shuichi was playing a joke on them by dressing up as Sakuma Ryuichi and introducing himself as another person to confuse them – no matter how impossible that was. Shuichi had been naughty and childish at times, but Hiro knew the singer would never go _that_ far.

How possible was it for someone to look so terribly like someone else? 

He looked up and stared long and hard at Yukito's face and saw something that made him conclude Yukito was, in fact, a different person: His eyes.

When Yukito smiled, it didn't quite reach his eyes. His eyes, round and blue, were dark and clouded unlike Shuichi's bright eyes that gave away whatever he was feeling. 

"….You can call me Yuki and… Ruka and I'll be your host for today." 

"Nice to meet you then—" Hiro said the moment Yukito finished, shrugging. 

"Same here." Ryuichi said, waving at Yukito from where he was standing. "You drive good, by the way, Yuki-chan."

The brunette flustered at the nickname and nodded silently at the singer before managing a mumbled "T-thanks." 

Both Hiro and Ryuichi turned to Noriko simultaneously, waiting for a witty remark, or greeting from the only female in the group, Noriko, who was seated comfortably on one of the desks set aside, but found the brown-haired[2] _Grasper_ keyboardist staring at Yukito, dumbfounded. Even K had an amused expression on his face.

Hiro, who guessed the reason for their keyboardist's reaction, stifled a cough to remind the woman where they were and _what_ they were expecting from her. She snapped out of her thoughts immediately at the sound and, after confusedly staring at them, laughed nervously before finally speaking. "Oh um… Nice to meet you to, Yukito." She said, all thoughts of embarrassing or irritating the young brunette in front of them long-thrown out of her mind the moment she saw him. When Yukito only stared back, confused, she cleared her throat and said, "….I think I've heard that name somewhere. _Yukito Fujiwara…_ I think my husband mentioned your name one time…" 

She didn't want to say _what_ made her stare like that earlier and was pretty sure the other members of her band had that in mind too, so she quickly threw that remark – which wasn't completely a lie. Before anyone could comment on her previous remark, she quickly shook her head, smiling. "But anyway, forget about that – shouldn't we be starting the tour?" She clasped her hands together and stood up from her seat before placing a hand on her hips.

K, who had turned to checking his magnum's barrel and the bullets in it while Noriko talked, tilted his head up and grinned. 

"_That's right_. We don't have a whole day to wait, afterall." The American took long strides towards the door and there, he waited, watching them amusedly. Hiro knew the American had something in mind, like he always did, but knew it was probably something he wouldn't want to know either and, since this was K, it probably had something to do with guns. Guns and K – those two walked hand-in-hand. Hiro couldn't imagine K without his guns and every time he saw guns, he was reminded of their manager.

Ruka gave Yukito a slap on his back. "Well, let's get going, Mr. _Chibi_ _Tourguide._" 

Yukito took a deep breath, concentrating, before finally breaking into a grin that was too much like Shuichi's. Hiro covered his mouth with a hand, to stop himself from commenting, and waited.

"I'll begin with a tour of the campus, then I'm taking you all to the concert site that's a few minutes drive from here." The brunette spun on his heels and headed for the door. K grinned at him when he walked past the American, before following him outside the room. Ruka followed next and then Noriko. 

The female keyboardist stopped at the door to give Hiro a worried sideways glance, before completely walking out. That left Hiro and Ryuichi. 

Hiro was stared at the door for a few seconds before turning to his right and voicing the question that had begun nagging at his mind the moment he laid eyes on Yukito. 

"You think…" the guitarist began, not quite sure how to put it into words. "…Shuichi… no. How.. possible is it for someone to look like someone else?" 

Ryuichi turned his head to him and stared at him with a blank expression before suddenly breaking into a grin. The singer produced the Kumagorou plushie he brought everywhere from his jacket and turned to it, mumbling incoherently before finally nodding and concluding in a quiet, all-too-serious tone.

"So that's why, no da." Ryuichi laughed, evidently back to his offstage self, and then turned to Hiro.

"Let's go, Hiro! They're waiting for us, na!"

---

By noon, the members of Nittle Grasper found themselves in a school filled with music enthusiasts. Students from the other campuses and professional performers, both famous and not, flocked into the Shibuki Campus Two[3]. As Yukito had explained earlier, Shibuki High was divided into several campuses, one of which was dedicated to those who loved Music. Special music-related classes were held at Campus Two, and students moved from one campus to another regularly for their classes.

"That's… a lot." Noriko declared finally, as Yukito led them through the packed halls. Yukito grinned, turning to her. "Yeah, it is. Makes students proud of it too…" He said trailing away, realizing he was referring to himself. They came to the Principal's Office and Yukito stopped right in front of the door, a hand on the doorknob, ready to open it for them.

"I guess all that's left for us to do is show you the concert site later, so after you talk to the Principal… again… um... just find us and me or Ruka will give you a ride." He opened the door for them and waited until they were inside before closing the door and stepping away from the Principal's Office's door. He gave a relieved sigh before turning to Ruka, who was standing behind him.

"Well, that does it, I guess? You think they'll go?" Yukito ran a hand tiredly through his hair and smiled when Ruka placed his hand over his head. 

"You did what you could, _chibi_. Come on, we can check out the rest of the bands while we're at it." Ruka flashed Yukito a grin before taking the smaller brunette's arm in his hand and leading him away. Yukito let out a light laugh.

---

"So you haven't decided yet, whether you'll perform or not?" 

Ryuichi nodded, sitting himself comfortably at the seat by the Principal's desk. Hiro headed for the space nearby the window and stood there, watching Ryuichi and Noriko exchange words with the school's Principal.

"We'll need time," Ryuichi began, "to figure things out. But, we have a good impression of your school, no da."

At this, the Principal looked up before heaving an extremely relieved sigh. "I'm glad Fujiwara at least was available…" The Principal declared, shaking his head, before turning to the regarding all the members of Nittle Grasper, plus Manager. "Well, take your time. Whatever your decision may be, we'll be ready to accept it. By the way, have Fujiwara and Izumi shown you the concert site?"

This time Noriko was the one to answer. She waved her hand flippantly, "Not yet. After this, the two said they were going to drive us to the place, though."

"That's good." The Principal said, in relieved tone once more. 

"So, we'll be leaving for now, ne? Nori-chan?" Ryuichi shifted his weight on the seat and turned to their keyboardist, smiling childishly. Noriko shrugged. "I suppose, after they show us the concert site we will."

"Well, we'll be waiting for your response then, Ukai-san, Sakuma-san, Nakano-san and K-san." The Principal gave them a low bow before walking towards the door and opening it for them. "Thank you for coming."

Ryuichi hopped off his seat, bounded towards the door, and gave the Principal a childish smile before stepping out of the office. Smiling at their vocalist's childish antics, Noriko followed, only to be met by the sight of Ryuichi narrowly avoiding collision with a speeding girl by mere centimeters. 

"What on earth…?" Noriko managed before another girl sped by, then two, then more, all headed for the same direction. "What's happening?" 

Hiro followed after her and looked just as confused as Noriko did when another group of students ran past them. Finally, it was K who stopped one of the students for interrogation. The student, a girl who was lugging what looked to be a violin case was fast to answer.

"Ryu-chan and Shu-chan. Playing. Singing. Performing. Have. To. See!" The girl said breathlessly before breaking into a run once more and leaving an even more confused _Nittle Grasper_.

"O-kay." Noriko said slowly, before turning to her fellow band members. "So, who actually wants to see this?"

"Me! Me!" Ryuichi began bouncing before tailing the next person to run past them. Hiro shrugged and, giving Noriko an understanding look, walked away to follow their vocalist. K laughed and followed after the two and Noriko sighed in defeat. Sometimes, she wondered what their American Manager really did, in terms of 'managing' their band when it was usually _her_ doing things. Then again, she supposed it was just right, since she _was_ mentally the oldest.

The source of all the commotion was a classroom; that was how it looked to Noriko when a bunch of students all gathered outside a classroom came to view. That was, however, until the unmistakable sound of _music_ began filtering out of the room. 

Walking closer, the music became clearer, not to mention hauntingly familiar.

ikanaide!_ sakendemo ano sora e tobu yasei no tori_

Never say good bye_ shinayaka na sono tsubasa yuuki ni akaku somete_

The lyrics alone were enough to make Hiro bolt into a run towards the classroom and began squeezing into the crowd to see who was performing and Ryuichi seemed just as interested. The voice though, however good, was nowhere like Shuichi's unmistakable soprano.

__

omoidashite kindan no amai kajitsu wo

kin-iro no torikago ni ima mo nao aru no ni

Hiro stopped once he had a good view of the performing group before him and noted with slight amusement who were performing. The pink-haired student he'd seen racing Yukito was singing, with Ruka on the guitar and, finally, Yukito on the keyboards.

omoidasu yo hisoyaka na mori no oku de

kono yubi de sotto tsubasa ni fureta ano toki

Hiro could not help but notice the brunette behind the keyboards. Yukito looked different; extremely concentrated on the piece he was playing while at the same time disturbingly calm. "He's good." Hiro found himself saying out loud and, somehow, he could help but think about Shuichi and how things would have been if Seguchi Tohma had not decided Shuichi didn't have the talent to man the keyboards.

"You think so?" 

He turned sharply to the direction of the voice and found a slightly younger looking man, who was about his height, smiling at him with eyes narrowed into slits. Hiro opened his mouth to utter a reply when the man laughed softly and, when strands of his long raven hair slipped out of the tight ponytail he wore, tucked them back behind his ear before speaking. "I'm sorry, I couldn't help but comment on that—" With one last smile, the man turned from Hiro to the performing band before them and then began making his way through the crowd.

"Yuki, I thought your flight was today?" Hiro watched the man as he waved at Yukito, effectively causing the young keyboardist to stop playing and give the man a curious glance. 

"Takumi?" Yukito stepped away from the keyboards and then marched towards the raven-haired man. The crowd that had gathered groaned but only a few left to go back to whatever they were doing, waiting for another, similar performance, perhaps. 

"I thought _you_ were at Campus One taking an exam?" Yukito countered as he pulled the taller man into a hug. "Ne," Yukito said, answering Takumi's question finally before pulling away from the man. "We had a change of plans, looks like we'll be having that vacation after New Year."

A grin formed on Takumi's lips and he walked towards Juni, who had been watching him all that time. He took his place beside the pink-haired singer before looking over his shoulder and going; "The Principal's told me about _Grasper_, but how about one tiny practice before we show them off to the concert site, _Ryu-chan_?" 

The crowd cheered and Takumi indulged the many females in the crowd by winking meaningfully at Yukito and then giving both Juni and Ruka a playful smirk. Ruka responded by beginning with his guitar, playing a tune Hiro had come to know all too well, being part of _Grasper,_ and he was followed by Yukito with his keyboard, with a few notes before going out for the song.

'Sleepless Beauty…'

__

tooku de me o hikarasete— Hiro began to wonder just what kind of students they were – especially Yukito. Watching the brunette all that time as he played, he wondered _why_ Yukito had this air of professionalism going with him He just seemed _too_ good, _too_ experienced, as if he was taught to be that way by someone…as if he was under someone's tutelage… someone they knew…

---

The concert site was just a few minutes drive from the Shibuki Campus Two, and truth be told, Noriko and the rest had expected something temporary and typical – like one of those stages they set up on parking lots for the sake of a few nights of concerts. However, the concert site where the said Shibuki Music Fes was going to be held was nothing of the sort. On the site was a building and connected to it was an outdoor stage. There were no seats on the wide, open space on which the stage and building were situated but without a doubt, if seats were needed, they could easily be brought in for a show or two.

"_Impressive_." K said in English, nodding in approval as he looked about the place. "Do they use this place often?" He asked, turning to Yukito who was making final checks on his car before getting out.

"They do." Yukito stepped out of his car finally, locking the door behind him, before activating its alarm system. "That should do…." He muttered. "Anyway, our school holds mini-concerts once in a while and then there's the school symphonic orchestra and the recitals…. So, we use it quite a lot."

"We have our own club downtown though, so it's used more for those orchestras and visiting performers and all that." Ruka added and signaled with a hand for them to follow him as he made his way down to the outdoor stage. A group or two was practicing onstage, it seemed, and once in a while they would hear the microphones being tested as well as some guitars and keyboards.

__

"Hello? Mic test? Mic test? _1… 2.. 3… Jake, _turn it down a bit_…_ there… that's good.._"_

"Your own club downtown?" Noriko cast Yukito a questioning glance, blinking. 

Yukito laughed, nervously. "Yeah, we do. It's a sort of exclusive club downtown… _Nocturne_. Maybe sometime… or tonight… we'll show you to the place?"

Noriko 'hmm'ed and folded her arms across her chest, looking thoughtful. "I guess we coul—"

"That'd be great, na no da!" Ryuichi blurted out, "Can Tatsuha-chan come though? Eh, Nori-chan?"

"I… guess… he could…." Noriko said hesitantly before sending a meaningful look to Hiro's direction. Hiro, who understood fully well what Noriko's look meant, heaved a small sigh before raising a hand up. "I guess I'm going too – what time?"

"We can talk about that later – but maybe around eight or nine at night? That good? I could pick you up too…" Yukito offered. He came to a stop, having reached the front stage, and then waited for Hiro's response.

"Sounds good, the time and the picking up thing –" Hiro turned to Noriko, "You coming, Nori?"

The brunette woman shook her head, smiling, "Nah, I'm passing this one up. I'm having dinner with my family tonight."

"It's all settled then? I'm picking you two up sometime between eight and nine, I'll just get your addresses lat--- eh?" Yukito stopped and looked up to the sound of a few chords being played, confused. "Ruka, _ASK_'s practicing today…?" he asked suddenly, giving both Takumi, who had been quiet all the time, and Ruka a slight frown.

At the mention of the group, _ASK_'s name, a shadow clouded Hiro's eyes. Hatred flashed in his features for a few fleeting moments, before he managed to control the emotions raging within him. He managed a look of indifference and tried his hardest to keep even a bit of that hatred for a certain Aizawa Taki hidden.

Ruka looked confused himself, "Weren't they scheduled the day after tomorrow?"

It was Takumi who had the answer though. His voice was flat when he proceeded to explain, "It's Setsuna," there was no bitterness in Takumi's voice, but there almost could have been, "He talked the Principal and Takagi-sensei to give _ASK_ today a few slots." 

"That prick." Ruka said offhandedly before turning away, "Well, I'll go and check things out before we show them around the main building."

"Well, well… if it isn't Takumi and Fujiwara." Ruka stopped and regarded the coffee-haired teen who'd suddenly chosen to walk up to them with a snort. "…And Izumi." Setsuna added, eyes narrowing dangerously.

Ruka waved a hand in dismissal, "I'm leaving for a bit, I'll see you guys later then we can show them around—" He turned to Setsuna and his voice took a dangerous tone. "See you around, Setsuna."

"See you around." Setsuna called back, once Izumi was walking away behind him, before locking his gaze onto Takumi and the group he and Yukito was hosting. 

"Touring _Nittle Grasper_ around, I see. Peachy, Takumi." Setsuna remarked with a smirk.

"Setsuna—we're all se---" Ma-kun [4] asked, stepping off the stage to Setsuna's side. He stopped in mid-sentence when he felt Hiro's cold eyes on him. "Oh... Hi? Didn't expect to see you around here…"

"Didn't expect to see you around here too.." Hiro replied, putting on a business smile. He took a few steps forward, just so he could stand right in front of the _ASK_ keyboardist. 

"Ma-kun? What's the hold up? The sound system's ready… right?" Hiro's right eye twitched. He recognized the owner of that voice. And, sure enough, only seconds later, the dark-haired ASK vocalist, Aizawa Taki, walked down the stage to further question their keyboardist only to find himself face to face with Hiro; A very angry Hiro.

"Hello, Nakano-san. It's been a while." Aizawa greeted politely, bowing his head slightly. Ma-kun let out a tiny cry of protest when he did so.

"A while my ass." Hiro hissed and the air seemed to have chilled once those words escaped his lips. Glaring daggers at the ASK vocalist, Hiro did not see the tall, Japanese woman walk up to them.

"Fujiwara-san? So your band is hosting _Nittle Grasper_, I see?" 

"Ehh… Nanae-san?" Yukito's cry of surprise had Aizawa and Hiro snapping their heads to Yukito's direction. 

Nanae laughed softly. "I don't think I've told you, I'm ASK's manager." She looked up and regarded K with a bow. "It's a pleasure to meet you, K-san."

"_Same here_." The American answered back, grinning.

Hiro stared at Yukito and Nanae for a few more moments as they began talking about the Music Fes, before turning his head back at Aizawa. Aizawa, however, was distracted; his attention fixed on the small brunette talking with their manager.

The distant look on Aizawa's face troubled Hiro, but in a way he couldn't quite describe.

Aizawa looked almost afraid.

---

__

8:45 pm

Rage was pacing back and forth the carpeted floor, stopping once in a while to glance up at the clock hanging just above the television in her hotel suite. She let out a frustrated sigh before, finally sitting herself on her bed and reaching for the remote control she threw on the bed as an act of frustration minutes ago. 

"Just what…" she trailed away and switched the television on. She flipped through the channels, cursing cable TV quietly when she could not find the local channel. She stopped and placed the remote control beside her and then waited…

---

__

8:49 pm

Seguchi Tohma scanned through the TV guide once again, eyes uninterestingly searching out the show he'd been told about once again, as if hoping, by some chance, he'd read it wrong. The summary didn't change, the meaning was still there.

He looked up and fixed his eyes on the TV. He'd told them, warned them, _not_ to dwell on it anymore. He'd told them to make sure none of it came out. He'd made sure everything was kept wrapped up tightly… hidden… Then why?

He waited.

---

__

9:15 pm

__

"…Shuichi Shindou…. Death… proof…"

Not quite sure if he heard it right, Ryuichi stopped. He looked up to the direction of the voice and curiously stared at the huge television hanging above them. It was showing that show Tatsuha liked to watch; the one which was about exclusives reports on various recent topics. He didn't like that show very much, but whenever he could, Tatsuha made him watch it with him.

This time though, he found himself interested on what it was reporting on this time.

__

"…a footage of the night…"

"Eh.. Ryu-chan, let's go." He felt Tatsuha's arm slip around his. "What's tha---" 

Tatsuha trailed away and found himself unable to continue.

---

__

1:05 am

Drunk.

Tired.

Angry.

Hurt.

Eiri stumbled forward, unable to keep a steady footing. He didn't care anymore where he was, but somewhere at the back of his mind, he knew where he was: He was in the park, where they met; where he met him. Where he met Shuichi. And now, he was in that very same park, hurting, hoping, wishing he could end it tonight.

"Why…." It came as a raspy whisper and he came to a stop, leaning on a nearby bench. He ran a hand through his damp hair, not quite sure whether it was his tears or alcohol that had caused his hair to be so. He couldn't be sure, either, how long he'd been drinking or wandering around aimlessly.

"Damn you, Seguchi…" He hissed, clamping his eyes shut to stop any more tears from falling. Tohma didn't need to hide it from him. Shouldn't have. _Shouldn't have_.

Once he was feeling up to it, he began walking once more, continuing his aimless journey to his own demise. He could get hit by a car and that would be the end of it .It didn't matter anymore, nothing did anymore. He deserved to die.

He didn't realize, or care, when he stepped into an empty road. 

The sound of engines and music reached Eiri's ears and he turned his head to the direction of the sound. Standing out of the darkness was a pair of headlights; a car and it was headed his way. Common sense told him to jump out of the way, but his feet refused, remaining planted on the ground. He froze. 

He couldn't be sure if he was hit, all he remembered was seeing the car coming closer and…. and then nothing. But, before the darkness claimed him, the last thing his mind registered seeing was Shuichi, looking down at him, worry and concern brimming in his unique blue eyes.

Yuki Eiri allowed a small and content smile to graze his lips.

---

__

Shuichi was leaning on the wall, holding his mobile phone close to him. His mouth moved slowly, to say something. The silence was deafening. If he'd said something, nobody would ever be sure. He stood away, finally, convinced about something. A small smile, visible to the camera even despite the distance, lit his face up. 

Someone walked up to him, appearing from the edge of the camera's line of sight. There was an exchange of words, it seemed. Shuichi looked surprised and at the same time relieved. The vocalist laughed. 

But that laughed died in his lips, as they closed and stayed that way. The man, who was taller, with dark hair, who had walked up to him earlier produced something blunt from within his jacket; a gun.

There was no exchange of words. The man's lips moved, Shuichi took a step back, fear evident on his features.

Someone, about Shuichi's height and build, appeared from behind Shuichi, carrying a piece of wood which he used to hit the singer on the head with, causing the singer to fall unconscious on the floor. Shuichi must have cried, but, his lungs wouldn't have been able to produce that cry as it was so sudden, too sudden.

The one who was about Shuichi's height turned to the man, his lips moving as if to tell him something. Then, his hands moved up to push the tiny glasses, perched on the bridge of his nose, up. The man, taking in whatever the shorter man said, nodded in understanding before aiming his gun at Shuichi's vulnerable back and firing two shots; all in the body, never the head.

There was no blood, at least none was seen. 

The shorter of the two looked up, acknowledging the presence of the camera before turning to the taller man and passing an order.

The taller man nodded once more in understanding and he produced another gun from his jacket and then aimed it at the camera. There must have been a shot.

There was static, and then the footage ended there.

---

[1] When I was writing chapter 7, I had this weird idea. Shibuki High School (weird name) is divided into different Campuses. Like, say; a normal one; one especially for the musical functions and stuff like that and one dedicated for business management (which probably looks like one big office too) since it is a school for rich people and stuff like that… Odd? I know…

[2] I like brown-haired Noriko from the OVA. She looked nice… So she's brown-haired here :-)

[3] The Campus they're in and the one dedicated for Music and stuff like that. Wee. ^^;;

[4] Unfortunately, I don't know how you call him without the –kun tag, since Ma just sounds really weird. So, I'm using this one until… _somebody_ suggests something good to get around that…

Anyway, I'll put brief character descriptions for the original characters here, since I know I've made so many and they're confusing… . I'm so sorry, Nyoko!

**__**

Fujiwara Yukito – (17) Brown-haired, blue-eyes. He's _Mizuki Ai'_s (Anne) fiancee. He lives with Ai and is the keyboardist for Takumi's band. He looks like Shuichi but, character-wise, he's… not quite like Shuichi. He can't sing, and… well, that's a fact.

**__**

Mizuki Ai (Anne) – (23) Blonde, green-eyes. A rising Go player. Ai's a bit retarded, but that's because of an accident she had the misfortune of witnessing years back. She's an only child both of her parents are dead. She lives with Freesia and Yukito and is slowly recovering to her past self… (original sketch – _copy/paste- _: www (dot) angelfire (dot) com/games4/white_crescent/22-10_03_anne01.jpg)

**__**

Freesia – (?) Red-haired, green-eyes. Ai's guardian. She's European and is fiercely loyal to Ai. She manages a few of the businesses Ai's parents left and helps Ai arrange her schedule. She knows what goes on here and there and is very protective of Ai and Yukito.

**__**

Takahashi Takumi – (18) Raven-haired (long), black eyes. (Try not to laugh, I just realized _that_ with his name.) Vocalist and keyboard player. Like Ruka, he can play both the guitar and the keyboard… but his strength lies on using the keyboards more and then singing. He's not from a rich family and is in Shibuki through a scholarship plan. Setsuna and him have things going between them, rivalry being one of them. (original sketch – _copy/paste- _: www (dot) angelfire (dot) com/games4/white_crescent/20-11-_03__takumi-sketch_.jpg)

**__**

Izumi Ruka – (19) Red-haired, brown eyes (hmm. Can't remember...). Ai's childhood friend. His main strength lies on his ability when it comes to playing guitars. Likes calling Yukito 'chibi'. *_* Cool guy. Him and Yukito are extremely close… (original sketch – _copy/paste- _: www (dot) angelfire (dot) com/games4/white_crescent/20-11-_03__ruka-sketch_.jpg)

**__**

Shimizu Juni – (17) Pink-haired, black eyes. Originally, Juni has long black hair, reaching up to his shoulder. But, for the sake of the Music Fes, he styled it so it's similar to Shindou Shuichi's and then dyed it to pink later on to make distinguishing who he was impersonating for the Fes easier. He's about Yukito's height and is pretty obsessed with Yukito. *_* _Bad Luck_ fanboy. (original sketch – _copy/paste- _: www (dot) angelfire (dot) com/games4/white_crescent/20-11-_03__nameless-sketch_.jpg)

**__**

Setsuna – (18) Coffee-brown-haired, brown eyes. He's a vocalist, just like Takumi and holds some kind of grudge towards Takumi and his band, regarding them as rivals… His band's hosting ASK and he was actually assigned to impersonate Aizawa Taki. (original sketch – _copy/paste- _: www (dot) angelfire (dot) com/games4/white_crescent/20-11-_03__setsuna-sketch_.jpg)

**__**

Kyoko – (19) Black-haired, blue eyes. She's a Business Management student at a high-profile Uni. For some reason, she's pretty obsessed with whatever happened to Shuichi and all that and is bent on finding who's behind it all. Currently top on her list is Seguchi Tohma, whom she believes, never did like Shuichi anyway.

**__**

Nanae Kasumi – (28) Black-haired, black-eyes. _ASK_'s soft-spoken manager. A nice person all around… not much known yet ^^;; (and still haven't thought about it.. hmm)

And then, response to reviews ^^ (Thank you~):

hopemia – Thanks, I'm glad you liked this chapter. ^^ I'm glad stuff are beginning to make sense.. : 3 *grins evilly*

CPV-Phantoms-CTFA - *melts into a puddle of goo* Waah…XD I'm flattered once again.. *_* Sorry it took so long though – my bad. Well, I hope you like this chapter! I'm glad _Unreality_ is done and over with… whew, now onto the plot… ^^;;

omi - ^_^;; Mmm.. we'll find out later, ne?

Nyoko – Whew, there, I did a little summary of the original characters. I hope it was helpful and if it wasn't… just let me know… XD Well, see, I have several plans for this fic and two goals… One of which is already stated clearly (who killed Shuichi? Hmm.) and another which won't be revealed, I think, until the next chapter? I'm really tempted to just… oh well, anyway, I don't think this'll be a death-fic.. but, that's saying too much, ne? Just keep guessing, for now ^_^;; But, I love Shu-chan… *zips mouth*

rulerofthecows – Aizawa was shocked because…. not saying, yet ^^. (Though, I think you people have an idea now, ne?) One hint though, Ryuichi is a lot more famous than Shuichi, and Shuichi hasn't quite reached _that_ level yet since he's only been in the music scene for like a few years.. though he's already up there in some fangirls/boy's minds.. : 3 Anyway… *looks nervously at the cows that's suddenly appeared* Um… here's the next chapter? ^^;;

There, done and done. I _love_ _Shuusama _and _Phone Call_'s later installment. *dies* Talk about foreshadowing… Gotta remember to review _Shuusama_ tonight and make that summary of volume 10 for a friend (you know who you are :-O!). And, finally, I've just discovered the wonders of _Rating All_ for FFnet. Yay for me. Now off to see all those fanfics I missed… MERRY CHRISTMAS to everyone, by the way – just in case I don't update before Christmas ^^;; 

^_^


	10. Precious 1

Disclaimer: Gravitation does not belong to me. Ne, I doubt Gravitation would be as good if I owned it anyway. I'm not making any money out of this either and am just borrowing its characters….

A/N: Finally, after almost a month of writing and brainstorming, Chapter 10 is finally done! I am _so_ sorry for the long wait and if this isn't the chapter you were expecting. I hope I don't disappoint anyone, but after so much tries, this is the best I was able to come up with. Gomen! If this isn't any good! Once more, I'd like to thank my reviewers (you guys were a great help! My Inspiration!) and for waiting for me… I took forever… Here we finally have… Yukito and Eiri, but they haven't… had interaction… But it's there. I hope everyone likes it… This certainly makes somethings clear now, doesn't it? Comments and criticisms are more than welcome so drop in a review, ne? It makes writing easier and motivates me… And, next chapter, will be the continuation of… this, plus more stuff (Tohma! Yes!). Oh and, **Boogie-chan** (It's okay if I call you than, ne?) I'll work on that pic for you sometime – I already have an idea ^_^. Still **unedited**… but…. Here it is. A word of warning: It's… long.. Hopefully, nobody is put off by the length – I'll try and make the next chapter shorter….

Ten: Precious (1)

Yukito's hands were clammy and sweat was beginning to break on his forehead as he waited for the traffic light just above his car to change colors. He was tempted to make a pass but knew all too well, even despite the time and considering what had happened already, a policeman might just be nearby, waiting for an unlucky traffic law breaker. He caught a glimpse of the unconscious blonde man, lying spread on the backseats of his car from the rearview mirror and quickly looked elsewhere, his breath hitching and his heart beating faster both from fear and something else he couldn't name. The light turned green and he exhaled in relief, realizing suddenly that he'd been holding his breath. He stepped on the gas pedal and sped off, hoping to get to the hospital as soon as possible...

'Wait. The hospital?'

He stopped mentally and went through the idea again. He didn't know if he actually hit the man or not, but there was an ugly, bleeding cut on the man's forehead that had, quite horribly, sobered him the moment his eyes fell on it. Sobered – he had been drunk, if only a bit, that was for sure. He knew he should have listened to Ruka but he had insisted he wasn't that drunk and he was a responsible driver. He did deliver the great Sakuma Ryuichi and his companion Uesugu Tatsuha home safely, didn't he? He eased his footing on the gas pedal and slowed the car down, thinking more about the situation he'd gotten himself into. He'd run over someone, who could quite possibly be – he stole glance of the blonde man in the backseat – teetering on the edge of life and death because he had been driving, if only a tiny bit, drunk. If the media got a hold of that, if the people at the hospital started questioning, if Ai found out… There were too many 'If's which lead to one scary outcome to another and Yukito wasn't sure if he was willing to risk it. 

He heaved a troubled sigh before leaning his head on the steering wheel, silently praying what he should do and pushing back the tears of dismay that threatened to fall. He didn't like the situation and desperately wished he had listened to Ruka. But the fact was, he didn't, and here he was in the middle of Tokyo, torn between driving the quite-possibly-dying man in his backseat to a hospital and just leaving him for people to find on the road. He paused – that was a horrible alternative, no, he made up his mind, if any, he wouldn't just leave the man out on the streets wounded like that. That would just be too much for his already fragile mind. 

With a deep breath, he finally sat up and, gripping the steering wheel in both of his hands, stared at the road ahead of him defiantly. He'd find a way around of this and Freesia… Freesia would help him. 

He drove around the corner and took the shortest route he knew back to his home.

---

Nakano Hiroshi pushed the empty glass in front of him aside, not quite sure if he wanted to drink anymore than he could if it meant forgetting even for just a few hours. The brunette guitarist sat back, leaning onto the counter behind him, and watched the crowd on the dance floor dancing, almost mesmerized by what the colorful and blinking lights did to their bodies, turning them almost dreamlike. He closed his eyes and wondered briefly where Ryuichi and Tatsuha had disappeared to, not to mention their hosts. He was just about drifting into sleep when somebody sat down on the seat beside him and gave him a light tap on the back.

"Ne, mind if I seat here…?" a tired voice asked and whipping his head around, he found himself staring into a pair of tired, blue eyes; Yukito's eyes. Hiro shook his head and smiled before turning away from the keyboardist. "Nah." He said simply and the younger man sighed in relief.

"Vodka." Hiro heard Yukito order and from the edge of his eyesight, he watched as the bartender handed Yukito a glass filled with crystal-clear liquid which the young keyboardist accepted all-too-willingly. Yukito looked upset and his eyes were in an even darker, deeper shade of blue. The brunette keyboardist proceeded to down the glass of vodka in gulps and Hiro decided that Yukito was, indeed, upset about something. Ignoring the tiny voice in his head that advised him not to interfere, Hiro spun around on his chair and faced the younger man before speaking: "Upset?"

The young man nodded readily and wordlessly before slumping over the counter and swirling the near-empty glass in his hand, causing the cubes of ice in it to chink against the glass. Yukito heaved a sigh and then looked up, offering Hiro a small smile. "Just a bit though." Yukito told Hiro quietly before taking a deep breath and, using his free hand to support him, sat up straight. "I'm… alright now though. I think…just tired…" he brought the glass up and showed Hiro how near-empty it was, "… I think… I've had enough of this for the night…." 

"You know, you just don't down vodka like that." Hiro pointed out, finding himself grinning amusedly moments later before adding as an afterthought, "You remind me of a friend…."

"A friend?" Yukito questioned lazily, not really because he was interested but simply because it would prolong the somewhat pointless conversation going on between them. Hiro, who had realized what he'd just said mere seconds after the words left his mouth, nodded simply. No, the last thing he wanted to do was talk about a friend who, according to what he'd seen an hour or so ago, was murdered.

"Yeah… a friend." The statement was final and the subtopic about Hiro's nameless friend was dropped wordlessly.

Yukito left his glass on the counter and looked up at Hiro silently, his blue eyes searching and filled with what Hiro could only imagine as curiosity. The young keyboardist's eyebrows met in a frown before he spoke softly, though it was probably because of the alcohol that was slowly, but surely, taking its effect.

"I heard about Shindou-san – I didn't see it but Ruka told me. I'm sorry about that." Yukito's voice was painfully sincere. An emotion flickered in Yukito's eyes and Hiro thought he saw what lay beneath those cloudy blue eyes for a few seconds. He couldn't pin and put a name on whatever he saw though and moments later, when Yukito slumped down once more on the counter, it was all but forgotten.

Minutes of silence passed between them, though Hiro had this feeling the conversation between them had not ended at all and Yukito was going to say something anytime soon. He was proven right when he heard Yukito's quiet voice, only barely audible because of the loud music that filled the whole club. Hiro actually leaned forward and strained his ears to hear.

"Juni tried convincing Namamoto-sempai I'm better off impersonating Shindou Shuichi….. I wish... he'd just stop." Yukito said softly, before tilting his head sideways and giving Hiro a small smile, "But don't tell him I said that…" Yukito sighed deeply before turning away and burying his face in his arms.

"_God_, …. have.. have you ever felt like you were in a dream?" Yukito asked in a muffled voice. "Hiro…"

Hiro felt like his heart had stopped beating for a few seconds when heard his name being uttered in a such a painfully familiar way. It was almost as if it was Shuichi who had called him from the afterlife, not the boy with the name 'Yukito' seated beside him but Shuichi; _Shindou Shuichi_. It was the way his voice trembled, the way it had sounded so needy, so dependent. Hiro was immediately reminded of the way Shuichi's voice would sound at the beginning of a helpless rant about his Yuki. Yukito just sounded so terribly like Shuichi, down from the emotions hidden behind the simple uttering of his name, it was just… _impossible_.

"I feel like I'm in a dream… and…no matter how hard I try to wake up… I… I… can't." Yukito continued, taking Hiro away from his thoughts. There was a long pause and Hiro waited. "…_Gomen_, Nakano-san. I… must have sounded silly."

__

'Nakano-san.' Hiro thought quietly, realizing that Yukito had referred to him formally, not by his first name, this time. Had Yukito called him by his first name and at the same time sounded so terribly like Shuichi… or was it his mind playing tricks on him? It sounded so real and at the same time surreal… like a dream. He found himself thinking about what Yukito had said.

__

'Hiro…'

__

'I feel like I'm in a dream…'

"Yuki!" 

__

'..and…no matter how hard I try to wake up… I… I…'

Yukito let out a tiny yelp when Juni launched himself and plopped on top of the keyboardist's unsuspecting back. "Juni… off! … Get… off! Off! Can't… breathe!" Yukito protested, flailing his arms about. Juni let out a loud laugh before leaping off and apologizing quickly to his schoolmate. "_Sorry, Sorry_, Yuki! I didn't mean to hurt you!"

__

'… I… I…'

Yukito filled his lungs with air once Juni was off before jumping off his chair, for fear of a repeat performance from the pink-haired teen. "What's up?" Yukito asked in a cheerful, yet slightly strained, voice. Juni gave him a firm nod before taking both of his arms in his.

"Wanna perform, Yuki? Sakuma-san wants to sing _Shining Collection_ with me.." Juni stopped and corrected himself, "… I mean, all of us! We need a keyboardist." 

Yukito arched an eyebrow and turned to Hiro, his blue eyes as hopeful as they could be even with the cloud within them. "Are you playing too, Nakano-san?"

__

'Nakano-san.'

Hiro, thoughtful and not willing to snap out of his thoughts just yet, nodded slowly. "I'll follow you in a bit…" he said slowly with a smile that came naturally. 

"Great! We're gonna have fun tonight –" Yukito said, grinning, and Juni elbowed him. 

"Can't wait to display your skills, ne, Yuki?" the pink-haired teen chirped and Yukito laughed in response. 

"I suppose—" Yukito turned away from Juni and faced Hiro one last time before turning away and heading towards the stage. "Nakano-san, just walk up to the stage... we have everything available there... I'll ask Ruka to set the stuff up, see you in a bit!"

__

'Nakano-san.'

'…I… I…'

Nakano watched Yukito's back as he melded into the crowd. 

__

'…can't.'

He wondered what he would have said if it was Shuichi who had said that. What would he have said in response? He couldn't stop thinking about the statement and its hidden meaning, if it even had one. Maybe, Yukito was just drunk… maybe _he_ was just drunk and imagining things and Yukito had said something totally different.

It had to be him. It had to be because he wanted to believe in what nonexistent possibility there was of Shuichi being alive, even after being _murdered_. 

__

Murdered. 

"_Shu-chan_… you were murdered. _Why_?" he heard himself whispering as he made his way through the crowd and to the stage. Once he was directly in front, Ryuichi was already onstage, holding a guitar with one hand, smiling down at him with his blue eyes twinkling.. 

It hit him; _Why was Ryuichi so calm and unaffected?_

"Somebody does know how to play _Shining Collection_ on the keyboards… right? We're missing Nori-chan afterall…" Hiro questioned once he was on the stage. Ryuichi bit his lower lip and looked up, thinking. After a few moments, he looked back down and shook his head, "Dunno, no da?"

Yukito was about to say something about that when Ruka smiled at him from across the stage, a mischievous glint present in his brown eyes. Disappearing into the backstage for a few moments and re-emerging with a black quaker hat, that reminded Yukito so much of the one Tohma liked wearing, he walked up to Yukito with a grin.

The tall redhead placed the hat on top of Yukito's head and then gave the boy a light pat on the back. He stepped away then and turned to the _Grasper _vocalist and guitarist.

"_Chibi_ can play for us." Ruka announced out loud, coolly, "He knows _Shining Collection—"_ he turned to the young keyboardist before asking in a slightly quieter voice, "You can, right? _Chibi?_"

Yukito nodded. "Yeah, I can." 

Ryuichi grinned at him before giving him a thumbs up and then snatching the microphone from its stand. "You know what to do then, ne, _Yuki-chan?"_

"Mmm.."

Placing his hands on the smooth keys of the electronic keyboard, he took a deep breath and closed his eyes. He waited. He felt their eyes on him, waiting too. He had never played _Shining Collection_ in front of a crowd, and known as he was for his keyboarding skills, not to mention surprising skill when it came to playing _Nittle Grasper_ and _Bad Luck_ songs, _Shining Collection_ was downright _hard_. He wasn't wary about failing however, but rather of the fact that _they_ were watching him.

__

"Calm down." He told himself quietly, _"_You are _not_ on stage with Sakuma-san… you're at home…alone… in your music room… yes, at home. At least, you're not singing…!" 

He took a deep breath and readjusted the hat on his head and his specs, eyes remaining closed, as if the act was as natural was as breathing for him. Maybe it _was_. One thing was for sure; after this performance, another glass of vodka would be necessary to calm his nerves once more.

He pressed his thumb on a key and got ready to lose himself to the piece. As soon as the first few solid notes of _Shining Collection_ filled his ears, he forgot where he was and who he was. It was the music which mattered suddenly and nothing less but he knew all too well how everything would come crashing back after the performance. And by crashing back, he meant it.

---

"Yukito looked out of it." 

The words left Hiro's mouth in a soft whisper. Takumi who was seating just beside him shook his head with a light chuckle before releasing the glass in his hand and tucking in the locks of raven hair above his eyes behind his ears. 

"He wasn't that drunk, he'll make it safely." Takumi breathed in reply. 

Hiro contemplated on Takumi's words for a while before finding himself dwelling on what happened between him and Yukito. The boy's words were haunting him again, refusing to leave his mind. Those words, spoken by any other person wouldn't have mattered much, but they were spoken by Yukito, who already looked uncomfortably like Shuichi, with so much conviction and painful resemblance to Shuichi's voice. It was just… he couldn't find the right words about it but he knew that if he broached the subject with Takumi, who was one of Yukito's friends no less, he would get nothing but a strange look. 

He inhaled deeply and looked up from the glass of water he held, turning his attention from it to Takumi. Not quite sure what to ask, he spoke the first thing that came to his mind. "How long have you been friends?" 

Takumi gave him a look, one that showed a tiny bit of surprise, "Ruka… Yukito… and me?" 

"Yeah." Hiro said, shrugging. He didn't care much about that but it was the first thing that came to mind, and it was keeping his mind from thinking about a certain murder and blue-eyed brunette.

"Three years, more or less for Ruka…. For Yukito though…" Takumi trailed away and paused for a few moments before continuing. "I met Yukito last year, we've been friends since then."

"Close friends, huh?" 

"Close friends..." Takumi repeated with a slight, almost bitter, chuckle. "They don't treat middle-class people differently like a lot of them from my school, but I suppose it's because they understand what it means to have burdens…."

Hiro frowned. "Middle-class?"

"I'm not rich." Takumi said flatly and there was a certain chill in her voice that silenced Hiro, almost sent shivers down his spine. After a while of silence, Takumi spoke again, "Nakano-san, I'd like to tell you for once… about our school; don't think that everyone in it falls into the stereotype for rich people. It's like two different worlds… And maybe, we can't get along together… don't belong together… but... I've come to realize that they have burdens too… I'd like to make sure you look at our school just like any other school…"

"What makes you think I have something against your school?" 

"Nothing, really. But I wanted to clear that. I just felt like everyone thinks that way about rich people… and even if I'm not one of them, I'd like to speak for Yukito and Ruka… at least." Takumi turned to Hiro and his obsidian black eyes were dark and serious. "But I'm glad, Nakano-san doesn't think like that… It's quite a relief. I hope you don't mind – I get dramatic sometimes." Takumi gave him a smile before returning to his drink and taking a tiny sip from it.

"Takumi, can I ask you something?" Hiro asked after a length of silence and the raven-haired vocalist turned to him, eyes clearly telling him to go on.

"Yukito… what do you know about him?" He chose his words carefully, trying not to sound too curious, or odd. Takumi gave him an odd look before a knowing smile formed on his lips.

"He looks like Shindou-san, doesn't he?" Takumi asked back with a hint of amusement and Hiro frowned even more. Takumi, ignoring the _Grasper_ guitarist's reaction, ran a hand through his black hair and frowned at himself before speaking in a wistful voice. "Not much, really. He's not the type to hide secrets, he doesn't even look like he has any…. But, for sure, he didn't have a surgery for that face."

"A surgery?" 

"There was that rumor running around before. He may not look it, but he used to have a lot of envious classmates after him –" Takumi's face hardened, and his voice quieted down. "Not the best thing to do to someone who'd just recently woken from a coma—"

"He was in an accident?" Hiro asked suddenly, the surprise audible in his voice.

Takumi placed his fingers over his lips and thought. "I don't know… really." He whispered, realizing his own ignorance. "But Ruka should know…" he breathed and just then Ruka came up to them, a tipsy Juni on tow.

"Sorry to have you two waiting, but little _Pink Tinker Bell_ here just decided to puke all over the restroom floor…" The redhead said bitterly, shaking his head and eyeing the pink-haired teen dangerously, "God, I swear I should stop _chibi_ from hanging out with you so much. I'd hate to see _you_ rubbing off _him_." 

Takumi got off his seat and stretched his arms out. "About time we left, I think if I stay any longer I'm going to end up _deaf_." The raven-haired teen lightly tapped on Hiro's shoulder and was about to head out of the club when he remembered something. He turned around sharply and met Ruka's gaze. 

"We we're just wondering about it, by the way." Takumi began, "That accident with Yuki… what was it?"

---

Yukito walked up to the front door before pressing the doorbell once, twice and then a third time before finally giving up and leaning forward to press his sweaty forehead against the smooth surface of the door. The mansion had to be empty. Freesia was probably gone, to Kyoto to assist Ai probably, otherwise she would be there to open the door for him not long after. The European woman had made it habit to wait for his arrival no matter what ungodly time he came home from his late-night partying even if he had told her many times not to bother. She wasn't here though, not right now and that meant she had probably left for Kyoto suddenly. 

With a deep sigh, he stepped away from the door and produced the set of house keys he carried away from a hidden pocket in his jacket and slipped a key into the keyhole. After opening the door, he stopped, his right hand resting on the doorknob, and glanced back to his car. He'd left the lights open so he could see the silouhette of the man he'd had the misfortune of, literally, running into clearly. Feeling guilt wrap its bony fingers about his heart, he looked away and headed into the mansion, leaving the door open as if by closing it he was declaring a choice to abandon the man. He did not want to do such a thing. 

The mansion was unusually silent and he could hear his heart thumping in his ears clearly, each beat a sign of his anxious heart as he made his way to the living room where he knew the telephone would have a message from Freesia. He was right, in the dimly lit living room, a beeping red light stood out and he quietly marched towards it very much like a man marching to his death. Yukito pressed the button and very soon Freesia's voice filled the thick silence that had befallen the mansion. 

"This is Freesia." the message began and he felt a bit relieved when he recognized the thick accent Freesia had whenever she spoke in Japanese. He heard Freesia taking a deep breath after a short pause, and then she continued in English, "I'm at Kyoto right now, as I speak. Ai's stay will be longer and we won't be back until next week--" Freesia paused and a small smile spread on Yukito's lips; the woman must have been checking her organizer's calendar. "The 27th or 28th. The change of plans was so sudden I wasn't able to inform you. I'm sorry, Yuki." 

"It's okay." Yukito whispered, seating himself on a nearby sofa and bringing a hand to his forehead to rub at his throbbing temples. The alcohol was finally taking its effect. "I suppose.. it's better this way." 

"Until then, take care Yukito. I have already told the servants so they should not give you any trouble, at all. I have to go now. Goodbye." Freesia finished in Japanese and after a click the whole mansion was plunged into the thick uncomfortable darkness Yukito dreaded. He got up the sofa finally and paused for a while to think about what he was going to do. Then, he headed back out of the living room and the mansion. He walked over to his car and threw the backdoor open before looking down at the man with an unreadable expression on his face. 

"You are not dying in my car... whoever you are." Yukito said, a statement that seemed to be more to himself than the unconscious blonde lying in his backseat. He stared at the man for a few moments before mustering the strength and carefully taking and placing the man's right arm over his shoulder and then slowly carrying him out of the car as best as he could. It was a slow process and Yukito took his time, carefully making sure he wasn't hurting the man anymore as he half-carried him towards the porch like he were only drunk, not unconscious or possibly dying. Why couldn't he get the thought of the man dying out of his mind? It bugged him to no end and he… didn't know why. He took a rest once they reached the front porch and he carefully laid the man down on his lap before wiping the beads of sweat on his face. He looked up and found himself staring at the small round lamp on top of the porch as he thought about what to do next. Then he lowered his eyes, slowly as if he was afraid of what was on his lap, and found himself entranced. Something about the man changed under the lamplight. He looked different, peaceful and _someone_ – not just any man he accidentally hit on the road. _Someone_.

He reveled at the way the man's soft golden hair fell above his eyes and plastered on his sweaty forehead. Even the ugly cut on the man's forehead with the dried blood forming around it did nothing to detract from his almost ethereal beauty. Yukito found himself gasping and before he realized he was doing it, he had freed his right hand and begun to carefully brush the hair from his eyes, almost feeling disappointed when he saw them lidded. But what was he expecting from an unconscious man, anyway? 

But... still, he wondered what kind of eyes lay beneath those eyelids. He looked like a foreigner so was it blue? An exotic shade of gray? Or was it regal green? He found himself holding his breath when his fingers traced the man's thick, blonde eyelashes but he stopped himself before his fingers could pry those eyes open. 'It would be better if those eyes would...' he paused, wondering suddenly what had come over him. 

What was he thinking? 

Taking another deep breath, he shook his head off in an attempt to gain whatever sanity he had lost when he did those things. It just… wasn't normal. "_Okay_. Let's do this Yuki… you can do this…" he told himself as he wrapped his arms around the man's mid-section and began half-dragging him inside his house and heading for the stairs. 

"I'm…. glad …..Freesia wasn't…. here…" Yukito declared in between gasps as he ran a hand through his hair, very much aware of how damp it was and how he felt like he had just walked through torrents of rain. He felt hot and he was sure his cheeks were burning and tinted deep red. He caught his breath first before turning to the sleeping man on his bed beside him and breaking into a warm smile. "I don't think Freesia would have kept quiet if she were here… And if Ai heard… she'd probably take away my license.. or buy me a Volvo… which isn't cool." 

The man looked better and, except for the white bandage wrapped around his head to dress his cut – which, much to Yukito's relief, didn't need stitching and wasn't as bad as he thought. It wouldn't even scar —, he looked fine. Yukito had the First-Aid lessons Ai had him take last year to thank for that.

He rose up from his bed and began stretching his arms. "I'm being an idiot. Talking to you like this…" he trailed away and glanced down at the clock on his nightstand. "What time is it? _Oh_… two? Gotta set my clock for tomorrow…" He padded towards the nightstand, meaning to set his clock's alarm, when he caught something glint at the edge of his sight. He turned to his left, searching for where the glint had come from and found his eyes resting on the man's right hand. On the man's ring finger was a simple silver ring and Yukito realized he hadn't noticed that before. So, he thought, the man was married? Or was it engaged? He couldn't remember which hand was for which but he knew it was either on of the two.

Against his better judgement, he found himself kneeling on the bed and looking at the ring closer. He remembered the silver ring he wore around his neck and wondered briefly if the man had bought it for his girlfriend, or fiancée, during that time he did. It had been really 'in' that time, Ai told him, because a celebrity or two were seen sporting rings like that. 

"I wonder what he has written in it?" Yukito licked his lips and, sure the man was fast asleep, slipped the ring off to see what was engraved in it. He read the English words engraved on it in tiny print out loud, "_Shu-chan_?"

He remembered his own ring and Ai's. The one Ai had had her English name engraved on him while he had his own nickname _'Yuki_' engraved on his. Was Shu-chan the man's nickname then? 

Yukito looked the man over and frowned, deciding it couldn't possibly be his name, or nickname. It just didn't fit… He shook his head and turned his attention on his alarm clock and then set its alarm before heading out of the room. 

He still had to work on that song he was writing.

---

"Yukito… was in a car accident." Ruka said abruptly as he got into his car. Takumi, who was in the backseat with Hiro, frowned slightly. "In America?" 

"Yeah… in America." Ruka nodded, slipped his car keys into the ignition and started the car. "It's something we don't really talk about." 

On the front seat, Juni squirmed, head bobbing from one side to another as he muttering incoherently about Yukito and something else. "I see…" Hiro trailed away before, shaking his head and leaning back on his seat. "I noticed something…." Hiro began, "You sing. Takumi sings. The pink-haired kid sings. Does Yukito sing?" 

Takumi shook his head at him. "He's the keyboardist." Takumi answered before Ruka could. "He's learning the guitar right now… but he can't sing."

"Yeah, _chibi_ can't sing." Ruka added, watching them over the rearview mirror and regaining that usual playfulness in his voice. 

"Last time Yukito sang, he coughed up blood…." Takumi said conversationally and when Hiro's eyebrows furrowed, he let out a light laughed. "I'm joking, of course. But he came close to it, I think. Looked it. He just can't sing… it takes too much toll on him." 

Hiro thought.

---

__

Yuki…

__

Yuki… wake up? 

Eiri woke with a start and the first thing he realized was the fact that he was not in his room. He ran brought a hand up to his forehead, were he felt the soft bandages on his wound and frowned. Where was he? He looked around and saw nothing… familiar, except for the lot of _Nittle Grasper_ and _Bad Luck_ posters on one wall. _Bad Luck._

__

Shuichi.

His eyes widened when the image of Shuichi looking down at him worriedly came back to his mind. He jumped off the bed and headed for the door, not caring for the slight headache he had. He stepped out of the room and into a corridor where he found himself not knowing where to start. To the left, or to the right? Either way led to…. He couldn't see past the thick darkness.

__

Yuki! Yuki!

"Shuichi… where….?" He whispered softly, voice trembling slightly.

__

Call me later, okay?

__

Love you so much…

He gritted his teeth and clenched his eyes shut. Where was Shuichi? Why wasn't he here? He had been there, he had been looking down at him, watching him with those unique blue eyes. Where was he?

__

"nigiyaka na hitogomi ni tokeru tsubuyaki ga

ashi moto ni chirabatta omoide nijimaseru"

A quiet voice sung, filling the deafening silence with warmth. His eyes widened and he strained his ears for the voice, hoping it wasn't just his imagination. Sure enough, the voice continued in its singing. 

"mayoi aruku machi no kagayaki wa glaring one way 

kogo e sou na boku o terasu"

"Shuichi…." He breathed huskily before breaking into a run, following the source of the voice.

---

No number thingies... for now. But, here's my response to reviews :-) This one has both the reviewers for Gurabitshiyon.net and FF.net (THANK YOU!): 

Boogie-chan – I'm so sorry for the late update! But! You pretty much smelled right… yes… Eiri/Yukito… : 3 I hope you liked this chapter… really.. worked.. hard.. . It's so long! I'm sorry!

Hikaru Itsuko – Yes… it was Yukito who hit Eiri. I'm sorry for the cliffhanger, but… my muses were evil. So, maybe this answers _some_ questions?

Pato San – Here it is.. it's not the actual meeting, but it's there, ne? Wait for the next chapter :-) And I'll finally have Tohma back next chapter too! Joy! :-D Not to mention Kyoko…

rulerofthecows – You got like.. two or three out of that right, basically. *wink* There wasn't any Aizawa here as I'd originally planned.. but I hope this answers some of your questions.. oh sap. . I hope this was okay…

Ariane Adora – I know I really screwed up on that, I should have said something about that at the beginning of two so it doesn't throw people off… but I'm glad that's not much of a problem now! About the original characters – do they stick out bad now? ^^;; 

Seishiro - *glomps* It doesn't have the Tohma scene that I showed you , but I'm getting there.. how was this? :-)

XTsukimiOdangoX - *bugs* I'm glad you're liking it… . Being told that by a great writer like you makes me feel a bit more confident about my writing skills ^^;; 

Rachel Rom - ^^;; I don't know if you've read this far… but… thank you for liking it :-) 

Aiko-chan – And this only has a bit of Ryuichi… but hopefully he'll be appearing more next chapter :-D! ^^;; I'll work on that… I'm… *blushes* glad you and your friends love this fic and that you're liking Tohma some more… hee.. I like Tohma too ^^;;

Nyoko – I'd originally had the explanation and analysis for the footage, but that would have to wait for next update where there would be more… Murder-plot related stuff. (It has Tohma :-D) For now, I'm developing… a subplot. I hope this wasn't so bad though.. It's.. long.. I know…

Fangel – I'll think about it : 3 And they'll get what they deserve.. (Gomen! I missed you when I first wrote this..XD)

There and done… Read _Shuusama _and _Phone Call_ and Pato San's _War of Hearts_ and I am in _love_ with said fanfics.. Joy! The world is filled with Gravi fanfics – and music, from RahXephon. I'm off… _Happy Chinese New Year!_ Just in case I don't update next week ^^;; See you people next update and hopefully nobody is put off by the length of this chapter…

^_^


	11. Precious 2

Disclaimer: Gravitation does not belong to me. Ne, I doubt Gravitation would be as good if I owned it anyway. I'm not making any money out of this either and am just borrowing its characters….

A/N: It just keeps on bloating and bloating – really, I wanted to separate this into two parts but figured you guys would _reeaaaally_ kill me if I did that, so here, one uber long chapter, a mix of everything. Though you'll see the rest of a certain part (what happened after _that_) in the next chapter as form of semi-flashback. I figured it's best to keep guessing about that first. But, if you look hard enough, there are... uh… more hints! K was really weird here, I know – you'll have to forgive me for his characterization and it is a fact that I know close to nothing about… CIA stuff. ^-^ Never really watched those kinds of shows… _But!_ I'm finally done! Yes! As usual, this is still **unedited**, while at the same time _bloody long_ – Even longer than the chapter before this. I'd like to say **THANK YOU**to all of you who have reviewed and – wow – there was a lot! You guys were **wonderful**I just can't really put it into words… . Comments and criticisms are _more than_ welcome so drop in a review! I promise to work harder in the next chapter if this wasn't good enough. ;_; (I don't like some parts very much… but…) Anyway, _Enjoy!_ And I reaaally hope nobody get's bored…. It's _really_ long.

Oh and (www (dot) deviantart (dot) com/view/4800409/) for a watercolor picture of Yukito! 

And finally, this chapter is dedicated to my friend, **Marcia**, who helped me get out of the writer's block I suffered before finishing the previous chapter. Thanks for helping me write again :-)! *hugs* 

Eleven: Precious (2)

"We're almost there, don't open your eyes yet."

It took a good amount of effort not to smile even wider when the owner of the hands currently clasped over his eyes, therefore preventing him from seeing anything, said those words in a soft, gentle whisper in his ears. Knowing that prying those hands away from his eyes was out of the question, not to mention it would ruin whatever surprise was in store for him, he furrowed his eyebrows slightly – an action he was sure his 'captor' would notice easily – and asked a question quietly.

"So, how much longer?" He would have added something in the lines of 'I'm getting bored of this…' or 'I really don't have time…' but decided that was enough. The last thing he, both of them, needed was an argument about his apparent impatience. He didn't really want to ruin the moment by doing that.

"Not too long," came the reply and he could almost swear his captor was grinning by the way the words were said with a tinge of… amusement that was not lost to him. He bit his lower lip to prevent himself from making a sarcastic, or any kind at all, comment on that. He had to remind himself, a little slip and it was going down the drain; whatever it was.

"Okay…." He breathed slowly, nodding his head. His captor gave him a tiny push, a signal for him to continue walking and he complied, his mind drawing possibilities as to where he was going to be taken. For one, it couldn't possibly be back home, since that would require a car and he was sure his fiancée's black Mercedes wasn't parked that far from the Shopping Mall. Could it be that his lovely fiancée had finally succumbed to his incessant pestering for a car? His heart leapt at the thought of that – that was a big possibility since he'd been pestering her for…ever. And he'd been a good boy, right? 

It was a car, he thought to himself and he bit his lower lip more, this time in an attempt to keep in the triumphant laughter that threatened to tumble from his lips any moment now. It had better be a blue one, he added, a nice, blue, sports car that can go at the speed of light – not literally of course.

A swish that easily brought an image of the kind of electronic doors they had in most shopping malls snapped him from his daydreaming and he remembered where he was, or rather, what kind of situation he was in. Yes, the surprise – he was dying to know what the surprise was. It had better be a car.

But, how often did car showrooms have doors like that? Usually it was just the traditional glass door, wasn't it? 

"Don't open your eyes just yet," his captor whispered and he nodded obediently. Moments later, the warmth and weight over his eyes disappeared and then those hands were placed over his shoulder. Those hands, with their slender digits, gripped his shoulder tightly, though not tightly enough to hurt him, and he could swear his captor had breathed in sharply before leading him forward for a few steps and then making him stop. 

"Sit down." His captor ordered in the same quiet whisper and what followed that order was a few moments of uncomfortable silence, punctuated only by occasional faint sounds of shoes thudding on a carpeted floor. He paused – a carpeted floor; it was one detail he totally missed the moment he entered the place, wherever and whatever it was. Now, that totally nullified whatever assumption, and hope, he had that he had been taken to a car showroom.

There was a light thud, followed by a tiny click that made his eyebrows twitch only slightly as curiosity begged him to open his eyes. But, there was no order yet for him to open his eyes so he waited quietly, though not calmly, for just that and was glad he did not wait too long. 

"You can open your eyes now…." His captor told him and the hands promptly disappeared. He gave one small nod before slowly opening his eyes. At first what met his eyes did not quite register in his brain and he kept staring at the thing with a blank, albeit somewhat confused, expression. Moments later though, the surprise kicked in and he found his eyes widening when it finally dawned to him what exactly was in front of him, sitting on a display box.

A pair of silver rings was rested on top of a velvety cushion inside an open jewelry box, glinting in the light and displaying their utter perfection. The first thing that came to his mind was the fact that it must have cost a fortune. The second was the way the rings were arranged in such a way that they looked like they were linked together, inseparable and forever bound. He swallowed and then turned to his captor, the tall European woman standing beside him with a calm, simple smile on her face. The surprised expression remained on his face and he knew he did not need to ask a question out loud anymore.

"So you like it, Yukito?" The European woman questioned softly and he could only nod before turning to the rings. 

"Like it? I love it… I... I can't believe this….!" Yukito exclaimed, running a hand through his red hair. He let out a laugh before biting his lip and then turning to Freesia once more. He opened his mouth to say something but found out later on he couldn't find the right words to say out what exactly was in his mind. Finally, he settled with a simple "I'm speechless…" which Freesia nodded off in understanding.

"Ai will love these…." He declared, taking a ring from the box. He carefully slipped the silver ring into his left ring finger and then said in a quiet, awe-filled whisper, "It looks like a wedding band…." 

"It does now, doesn't it?" Freesia said, grinning at him. Yukito laughed in response, before shaking his head.

"Nah… it can't be!" he said, shrugging off the idea like it was nothing. Within him, he heard a quiet voice that asked, 'Can it?' but he brushed the idea off. It was just too… ridiculous and impossible, though he wasn't quite sure why. 

He wasn't even sure why that came to mind but it didn't matter. It was nothing, he was sure. He held his left hand up and began examining the ring in the light, marveling at how flawless it seemed. It really did look like a wedding band. 

"Why don't you take a look at what's in them?" Freesia suggested quietly and he gave the European woman a questioning look before bringing his left hand back down and hastily, though just as carefully, removing the ring from his ring finger. Wordlessly, he carefully searched the inside of the ring and was quite delighted to see that it had the name 'Yuki' engraved on it in simple, yet elegant cursive. 

"I had your names engraved on the rings." Freesia explained as Yukito traced the engraved words in his ring with his index finger, "For you, I chose 'Yuki' as that is your nickname and that is how your spell it in English. For Ai, I chose to have her English name, 'Anne', engraved in it. Is it well done?"

Yukito nodded and a small smile crept on his lips. He tilted his head to Freesia's direction and gave her a grateful smile before carefully placing his ring back on the box and then taking Ai's ring in his hand. He examined the words engraved on it and slipped a finger into it, just to trace the words 'Anne' engraved in it. His fiancée was going to love it.

"I thought about how you would not think about doing this for her, since you have a different way of showing your affection, Yukito," Freesia paused and from the edge of his sight he saw her crossing her arms across her chest. "So I decided to give you two a gift. Call it an early wedding gift, maybe?" 

"Maybe…" Yukito whispered as he eyed Ai's ring. The small smile on his face disappeared suddenly and a slight frown marred his youthful face. "Freesia…." He began, tilting his head up to look at the European woman worriedly, "This ring… it's…. it's too big for Ai…"

The European was smiling at him quietly. Her green eyes were fixed on him and it struck him suddenly how indescribable they were and at the same time… disturbing. As if those eyes were wrong. Just wrong. Freesia remained rooted on the spot, motionless, smiling, even after a few long moments.

"Freesia….?"

Yukito was snapped out of his reverie by the sound of his pencil rolling off his keyboard and hitting the carpeted floor with a dull thud. He blinked at himself, realizing the fact that he'd drifted off to daydream-land while working on his composition, before breaking into quiet chuckling. With a silly smile on his lips, he bent down to pick up his pencil before turning his attention to the music sheet in front of him. The Music Fes was a little more than a month away and even if he _did _finish the song sometime before that, there was still the matter of Takumi and Ruka having to get used to the song itself and _that_ needed at least a month.

He heaved a sigh and began chewing on one end of his pencil, wondering about what to do with a certain part in the song. He just couldn't find the right words for this one part – the part after it, he could re-use a stanza or two since it was towards the end but this one part he was just… at loss for words. 

"_seijyaku no toki o…"_ he began, drumming his pencil softly on the keyboard to the beat of the song, trying to see if it fit or not. _"uchi otosu tame ni_—" he stopped and heaved a heavy sigh. It was coming out now, at least, however slow it was doing so. He was getting the words, slowly, and they fit with the tune though he wasn't sure how long this fit of sudden-inspiration would last. _To knock down the silence_ – then what? He sat back on his chair and folded his arms across his chest. 

Yukito sat there, thinking for a few long minutes before finally giving up and tossing his pencil aside. He let out a huff as he folded his arms behind his head and fixed his gaze on the bare ceiling above him, wondering if by doing so he would get ideas, somehow. 

"Ruka's going to _kill_ me…" he told the ceiling with a tinge of bitterness as his face scrunched up in a mock-frown. He knew the redhead would never do anything to upset him really but he still felt bad about not being able to finish the song sooner. As patient and understanding Takumi and Ruka were, he knew he couldn't make them wait for too long. Then, there was the fact that it had been _his_ idea to finish the song he was currently working on before the Music Fes so _they _could perform it on the event. "This is futile…" he whispered, before shaking his head and heaving a long-suffering sigh. "I can't believe this song isn't finished yet… even after a year!"

He pouted and closed his eyes. There was always tomorrow, right? If the words wouldn't come today then he'd work hard to get it done tomorrow and this time, it was for sure. He grinned at himself, proud of his optimism and determination. He had to admit it – those two were his best traits and everyone around him seemed to think so too.

"So, what are we going to do now, Yuki?" he asked himself quietly, his lips curving into a tiny half-smirk when he became suddenly aware of how he had the mansion all to himself, for the most part anyway. Then again, the blonde man was deathly asleep when he left him on his bed so he was the least of his worries. "So! How about a tiny little song, Fujiwara Yukito?" he asked himself, the tiny half-smirk on his lips growing into a full-blown, mischievous smirk. "Maybe that'll get you all inspired to write lyrics again, ne?" 

"_That's right."_ He answered himself, his pitch higher, before breaking into chuckles. He sat back up and brushed the stray locks of dyed brown hair from his eyes before turning wistful suddenly. "And tonight," he began in a soft wistful voice, "Fujiwara Yukito will sing….. Glaring Dream by Bad Luck…! Please clap your hands as we welcome him!"

He rose from his chair and took his place at the center of the room, imagining himself to be a famous singer, instead of the keyboardist and songwriter he was, asked to sing for a famous music show on TV. He had always dreamt of becoming just like Seguchi Tohma but that did not mean he had no dreams of becoming a singer and being able to sing for the thousands with a powerful, enchanting voice just like Sakuma Ryuichi. Only… he could not do that, he could only be one of those two and even then he knew his skills would never reach Seguchi Tohma's level, however hard he tried despite whatever the ex-Grasper keyboardist told him. 

He shook his head quietly, picturing the great worry on the audience's faces when he stalled and smiled. "I'm okay…" he whispered to the empty room before closing his eyes and beginning to sing in a slow, heart-wrenching voice.

"nigiyaka na hitogomi ni tokeru tsubuyaki ga

ashi moto ni chirabatta omoide nijimaseru

mayoi aruku machi no kagayaki wa glaring one way 

kogo e sou na boku o terasu—"

---

The mansion was deathly silent when Eiri found himself standing in front of a thick mahogany door, bearing the same elegant design carved on every other door he'd come across so far. It was ajar, allowing bright light to spill forth into the dark hallway he was in from within the room beyond it. He pressed a hand over the cool wooden surface of the door gave it a little push. His hand froze though when the voice which had singing minutes ago, filled his ears.

"_awaku somaru kisetsu o miageru _Life Winter Dream 

__

tachi domaru boku o sarau

kaze ni kisareru torinoko sareru mune ni kaji kamu akogaremo"

He carefully pushed the door open and entered in as quietly as he could. The brunette who had his back against him caught his attention immediately. _He_ was the one singing; that much Eiri gathered when the boy stretched a hand out as if to reach for something and continued singing, mesmerizing Eiri.

__

"tsumetai toki ga yume ni tadayou sono te no naka ni uketomete

negai kazo e mezame ta toki ni yureru maboroshi ni kimi ga utsuru 

boku o michibiku kasu kana—"

Eiri took a careful step forward and wondered whether the brunette knew of his presence, or not. 

"—_shiruetto_" The boy finished, skillfully stretching his voice as he let the final word roll of his lips, adding a variation that made it seem wistful and sad. Eiri noticed this and he found himself wondering further about the boy and his voice. The brunette's voice, which reminded Eiri so much of his own Shuichi's, had drawn him to the place, almost as if Shuichi was calling to him. 

But the boy in front of him was not Shuichi. 

"Thank you for listening…" the boy whispered quietly, though the silence projected it, made it loud enough for Eiri's ears to pick up easily, and for him to wonder if the boy was referring to him. 

"…I hope you liked it…" The boy murmured before breaking into soft laughter and turning around "…what am I doing—I'm alon—" 

The word died in his lips as he found himself staring at Eiri. 

Eiri, for his part, found himself in complete disbelief – shock, perhaps, was a better word for it – when he got a good look of the boy's face. Save for the hair and the small glasses perched on the bridge of the boy's nose, he was the splitting image of Shindou Shuichi. Or was he?

He suddenly had an urge, an urge that became harder and harder to deny by the moment, to walk up to the boy, take him into his shoulders and ask, just ask, whether he was Shuichi or not. He wanted to take the boy in his arms and _cry_ just because he looked so much like Shuichi, wanted to _believe_ it was Shuichi even but knew that would just be wrong. Shuichi had died almost two years ago, in a car-accident that was deliberate; he was murdered. The boy in front of him couldn't possibly be Shuichi, unless he was a ghost which he clearly was not.

The silence was deafening, unnerving. 

"You..." the boy breathed, face paling. The boy frowned and bit his lower lip, trembling slightly, before suddenly clamping a hand over his mouth and breaking into a run, disappearing behind a door in the far end of the room. 

Eiri found the release he'd been waiting for and he stumbled towards a chair nearby before collapsing onto it and burying his face in his hands.

__

'Calm down, Eiri…' he told himself, _'Keep your cool...'_

Deep down, while he assured himself that he would be facing this calmly, with a straight face, he wondered just how he would do that, what with a boy who not only looked, but sounded just like his Shuichi.

__

'Shuichi… '

---

Hiro did not blink when the man in the footage aimed his gun at Shuichi's prone body in the footage and then fired several shots. Instead, he balled his hands into fists. Each time he watched the footage, each time he saw Shuichi get shot, he found himself wishing harder and harder that he could do _something_, _anything_ to the people who had hurt and killed Shuichi so much. 

The footage and his eyes ended and closed simultaneously and Sakano who was holding the remote control for the VCR pressed the rewind button again, much to Hiro's chagrin. 

"How many times are you going to make us watch this?" Hiro questioned sourly, keeping his eyes closed. Sakano made an apologetic gesture with his hands before pushing his thick-rimmed glasses up and giving Hiro a low bow. 

"I know this… this is unnerving…. But… K told me to make you watch it over and over again." Sakano explained and Noriko let out a loud sigh as she flipped through a teen magazine she picked up on the lobby. 

"Where is K anyway?" Hiro questioned back.

"He'll be here soon," Sakano replied before heaving a sigh again and turning to the TV and pressing 'play' on the remote control. Soon, the sounds of static filled Hiro's ears again and he clenched his eyes shut, not wanting to open them and see the people who'd killed his Shu-chan, his bestfriend… "He said he'd be late today because he's looking for… things."

"Late…?" Hiro hissed, "It's already been an hour and a half--!" '_And you've been repeating this damned footage for… how many times… God…'_

"I'm sorry, Hiro…"

Hiro kept silent, gritting his teeth. He wanted this to end. He could accept the fact that Shuichi was murdered, could move on, but not if he had to watch the footage over and over again for… how long? He didn't need to have the painful truth rubbed in his face every five minutes long after he'd accepted the fact.

He opened his eyes and found himself watching the part where Shuichi gets shot again. However much he despised that part, he just couldn't bear look away or turn a blind eye on it. It was the least he could do, after being unable to do anything for the pink-haired singer almost two years ago.

"_Good Morning!"_

The doors to the conference room burst open and their blonde, American manager entered in. Hiro lazily turned to the Manager's direction with a clear look of displeasure of his face. "Great, you're here – can we _stop_ watching the footage _already_?" 

K gave him a look before breaking into laughter, "Ahh…_Touchy_, Nakano-san?" He walked over to where they sat and turned to Sakano. "_Rewind it_." The black-haired Producer gave him a quick nod before pressing the rewind button again, all that time ignoring the glare Hiro directed towards him.

Noriko shook her head at him. "K, you should stop this – Hiro's clearly _not_ pleased with all this…" She tilted her head towards where Ryuichi sat, abnormally quiet, "And Ryuichi clearly doesn't look too happy about this too…." She trailed away folded her arms across her chest. The American only grinned, which unnerved Hiro more than he wanted to show.

"_No.. no.. no_ – Just one more time, Hiroshi. One last time." K told him and asked Sakano for the remote before taking his place in front of the TV set. 

"One last time…" Hiro said slowly, rising from his seat "What's the point in this? So we could confirm to the reporters downstairs that, _yes_, Shuichi was murdered?" 

"No." K smiled, and the smile was unlike any of the smiles anyone in the room had seen him wear; It was predatory, "You see, Hiro: _Ignorance is a sin_. So sit down while I answer the questions you haven't even asked." 

They were silent and K, satisfied, played the footage over again. In a span of a few seconds, he suddenly transformed from their crazy gun-toting Manager to an eerily, serious-looking CIA-agent which reminded Hiro easily of the American TV shows Shuichi and him liked watching when they were younger.

"The reason I made you watch the footage over and over again is to see if any of you would notice anything... distinguishable with our… suspects." He turned to the TV behind him and then, seconds later, hit the pause button. "For example, you'll notice that suspect one is wearing a uniform—" he moved his hands across the screen, his index finger tracing the outline of the first suspect. "—I had it checked too, and it's a good copy, he even had an ID too if you look at here…." He pointed at the tiny white spot on the man's chest, something Hiro didn't dream of noticing on his own. Suddenly, he found himself interested.

K pressed the play button again and then paused it again when the second suspect came into view. "Suspect two is wearing a uniform too, if you notice, just like suspect one." K paused and took that time to give Hiro a wary glance before continuing. "He has one defining trait, too, which you don't really notice until later on. He wears glasses—" he circled his fingers on the second suspect's face. Hiro suddenly realized how you couldn't see much of the second suspect's face, but could make out the glasses. "See that, they're there. Those glasses made it impossible for me to get a decent picture of him – but that's for later on." 

He let the footage play again, until the last part and then paused just seconds before it ended. Then, sure he had their full attention on the topic, began giving them his analysis. "If you notice something towards the end, they didn't shoot at Shuichi's head." He waited for their nods before continuing, "That implies three things…."

He began walking around and Hiro's eyes followed him intently. He began counting with his fingers, "One: we're dealing with amateurs. Two: sadists… and Three: their intention wasn't to kill Shuichi in the first place…"

Hiro opened his mouth to say something but the American shot him a look which clearly said 'Wait' and he sat back down, mouth closed. He produced a gun from his arm holster and placed it carefully on the conference table. It hit Hiro that it wasn't his magnum at all, instead it was a pistol.

"They don't look like amateurs." K began again, using his hands to elaborate, "They had uniforms, had IDs, had gloves….A normal hitman wouldn't go as far as that if it's a simple in and out job. A normal person with sheer hatred for Shuichi wouldn't go as far as that either, he could have just walked into the place and shot Shuichi, done and done." 

"What are you getting at…..?" Noriko questioned suddenly, a puzzled look on her face. Her eyebrows were drawn and she was giving K a suspicious look which K shrugged off with a smirk.

  
"Then… there's the matter of the shots…" K trailed away and picked the gun he left on the conference table, "If I'd wanted Shuichi dead—" he shifted his weight and trained the pistol on the television, "I'd have him shot in the head, no questions asked. It gets the job done, fast and easy….." 

"But they didn't—" He said abruptly before whipping around and suddenly firing at a chair beside Hiro, causing Sakano to almost faint and them to jump off their seats.

"What on earth was _that_ for?!" Noriko cried, waving her arms in disbelief. K only grinned at them and Hiro, who recovered moments later, rose from his seat and examined the chair K fired at. There, on the cushion, instead of a gaping, smoking bullet hole was a small green dart embedded on the cushion. Hiro, with widened eyes, turned sharply to their American Manager.

"It's a dart…" he whispered in disbelief, loud enough so everyone could hear.

"It's a modified military M9 pistol – the type you can only get around here in the Black Market—" he explained, waving the pistol around. "I had a few of my friends examine the footage last night and I got a _tiny itty bitty_ surprise when I recognize the gun they used."

He laughed then, "The reason I was late was because I was gathering more information on this and… I had run into a bit of trouble trying to acquire this little _baby_." 

"So you mean…." Hiro trailed away and K finished for him in a highly amused, tone.

"So, what I mean, _Nakano-san_, is that their motive wasn't to kill Shuichi in the first place. I could go on more about that but I think this explanation is enough." He sat himself on the conference table then and smiled in satisfaction.

"I got a _Go-signal_ from Seguchi today, by the way." K explained, "Last year, I'd wanted to work on this case, but he wouldn't let me—" he smirked, "—but now that he doesn't have an excuse to _not_ let me snoop around this thing! Hah… I intend to stick around until I get _everything_ _solved_."

He turned to Hiro and gave him a grin. "_There's hope."_

Hiro nodded slowly and Ryuichi perked up. "There's hope, na no da?!" 

K laughed and then jumped off the conference table. His face turned serious once more, "Oh, and there's more. I have suspect one identified, by the way." He produced a manila folder from his coat then took a photograph from it before showing them the picture. The picture had a strikingly handsome young man in his mid-twenties, tall, well built and with light brown hair. "This is Fujima Kouji twelve years ago—" K slid the photograph across the table to Hiro while Noriko and the rest watched, and listened to his explanation, intently, "Wanted all over America and Europe for murder, fraud and homicide, he's half-Japanese, half-Dutch. A gun-for-hire who's pretty famous in… circles, he was last seen in America… around eight years ago…"

K paused before adding with a knowing smile, "His was the last case I worked in. I was surprise to see the results of the test we ran on the footage – it gave a clear close-up, courtesy of the latest breakthrough in technology, of Fujima and I recognized him easily." 

"So there, Hiro – your suspect." He finished quietly, "We couldn't get a decent shot of the second man, but we have a lead now, don't we?"

Hiro nodded slowly as he stared at the picture in his hands, eyeing the smiling young man in it bitterly. "You're going to really solve this?"

"I hope I do." K grinned. There was a beat of silence and the American manager quietly returned the M9 pistol in his arm holster. For a few long moments, everyone thought and struggled to digest what K had just told them. Hiro found it hard to believe that, indeed, there could be hope… but… he knew if he just believed then, perhaps, there _was_ a chance. 

"OK, _back to work! Back to work!" _K began yelling in English suddenly, breaking their silence. "_Ryuichi_! Have you decided? I think it's better if we get out of N-G before the reporters downstairs make leaving this building virtually _impossible_!"

Hiro watched as their brunette singer stood up on his chair, one arm wrapped around his Kumagorou plush. There was a cute pout on the singer's face and then a smile slowly broke on his lips. "Na no da! Of course! So, we're going to _Shibuki_ to tell the Principal, right? Right? Ne?"

Sakano let out a relieved sigh as Ryuichi's cheerful outburst seemed to have broken the awful tension in the room and Noriko smiled. 

"Haha – of course, Ryuichi – now let's go--!" 

Hiro, shaking his head, rose from his seat, heart uplifted by the chance of hope. _'Shuichi… if you're alive somewhere… where would you be? Are you still alive?_' He followed Sakano, who was last to leave the room, and stopped abruptly when his mobile phone sounded. 

"Hiro!" It was Rage. He ran a hand through his hair; her timing was perfect. He knew Rage would love to hear about what K had just told them. 

"Yes, what's up?" he questioned, seeing it as a fitting way to start a conversation. He'd have to pop the facts later, after listening to whatever Rage had to say.

"You're going to Shibuki, right?" Rage began, but before he could answer she continued, "I'm at Shibuki right now, _stuff_ – but I have someone with me you'd like to meet—"

__

"Hey, who are you talking to, Melissa?" a female voice in background said in English. 

"_You'll know later_—" Rage said in English before finally resuming in Japanese, "Meet me at Shibuki – you know the place right? They told me you were here yesterday…"

Hiro nodded, slightly confused. "Yeah…" he said, trailing away.

"_Good_ – I'll wait for you then, see you in a bit. We'll have a lot to talk about." 

"Wai—"

There was a click and he figured Rage had hung up on him. He stared at his mobile phone before moving his gaze to the conference room doors. A thought hit him suddenly; K would like to hear about whatever Rage found out. From the sound of it, she did sound like she had found out something important…

"Things just got better…" he whispered quietly before exiting the Conference Room.

---

Seguchi Tohma marched along the corridor, catching the attention of every man and woman he passed by and bringing with him a sense of foreboding. The N-G President was known for his schemes, though few would freely talk of that, and the disturbingly blank look he wore spoke volumes about his purpose for visiting the TV Station so early in the morning.

He came to a stop when he reached his destination, the Executive Producer's office, and eyed the door that separated him and the reason he made the early morning visit sharply. He made two sharp raps on the door and entered in, making sure he had look of clear displeasure when he did. 

"S…Seguchi-san…!" the middle-aged man seated behind the desk at the center of the office stuttered. He had been talking to his secretary on the phone the moment Tohma entered in and he took that very moment to hang up and devote all his attention to the _less-that-pleased_ N-G President in front of him. "I… I didn't think you'd come so early, S... Seguchi-san," the Executive Producer motioned to the leather chairs in front of his desk, "T..Take a seat, Seguchi-san…"

Tohma smiled at him, giving the man the kind of smile that caused more worry than relief. "That's quite alright, Fukuda-san, I don't intend to stay for long." His voice dipped and there was a hint of warning present in his voice. 

Fukuda swallowed hard, paling visibly under the N-G President's scrutinizing gaze. He was silent for a few uncomfortable moments before finally speaking in a slow, almost hesitant manner, "What did you wa—no need to see me for, Seguchi-san?" 

Tohma folded his arms across his chest. The smile on his lips never wavered. "I think you already have an idea of _why_ I'm here, Fukuda-san." 

The other man froze and sat back on his seat, moving his gaze away from the blonde in front of him, as if suddenly afraid to meet his gaze. "Seguchi-san…" Fukuda mumbled, but before he could say anything more, the N-G President cut him off.

"Who was behind it?" Tohma took a step forward and his voice was soft, as it usually was, but with a certain harsh quality in it.

"S..Seguchi-sa—" A few steps more and Tohma was right in front of his desk. 

"Who gave you the tape, Fukuda-san?" Tohma continued, "Who gave you the report?"

Tohma's voice never increased, but it seemed to Fukuda who was edging away slowly in his chair that he _was_ and it frightened the older man, almost to the point that he fell off his chair. When he was sure that was the extent of the N-G President's questioning, he quickly got off his chair – with less dignity than he'd probably intended – and bowed down several times as a sign of apology.

"I..I'm sorry, Seguchi-san. I… I ..can't say." He made another bow and didn't stand up straight again until Tohma spoke. 

"_You can't say?_" Tohma repeated. The smile on his face disappeared momentarily, only to be replaced by a gentle, intimidating sneer. "Or you _don't_ want to say?"

Fukuda gulped, before managing in a flustered tone; "I..It's…. confidential, Seguchi-san." He stole a glance of the impatient N-G President in front of him before continuing with a little more confidence and tact. "It's the Station's rules; not to disclose the identity of the source unless—"

"I know the rules, _Fukuda-san_." Tohma said calmly, waving a hand in dismissal. "_And_ I also know the agreement we had almost two years ago." 

Tohma's lips curved into an uncharacteristic smirk that sent shivers down the Executive Producer's spine. "Unless, of course – _Fukuda-san – _you've forgotten."

Something flickered in Tohma's eyes and the office was filled with a pregnant silence. The silence stretched for a few long minutes, but words were not needed to understand the warning and mysterious glimmer in the N-G President's amber eyes. Finally, Fukuda bowed his head in defeat before sinking into the leather office chair behind him and heaving a long and tired sigh. Knowing he'd won, Tohma allowed a smirk to play on his lips. His eyes no longer holding threat in them and his lips curved into a smirk, Tohma no longer looked threatening as he did moments earlier. 

"Kyoko." Fukuda spoke in a quiet whisper, "Amano Kyoko."

Tohma looked slightly amused. He lifted his chin up slightly and arched an eyebrow. "That's not her real name, is it?" the N-G President questioned.

"N..no…. I mean.. I.. I don't know…" Fukuda took a deep breath before finishing quickly. "I _swear_, that's the only name she gave us. And if I knew, I'd tell you, Seguchi-san….y..you'd find out eventuall—"

"That's quite alright. You've said enough." With flourish, Tohma spun around, his long black coat twirling behind him and the black feathers on his coat's collar reflecting the light shone on it, giving him an almost sinister flair, and headed for the door. He took a few steps forward and stopped, just as Fukuda was heaving a relieved sigh. He looked over his shoulder just in time to see the older man sit up sharply; "Since it's not likely you will be giving me…._ Ms. Amano_ number, Fukuda-san." He paused, knowing how nervous the Executive Producer was getting by the second. He took one step back and gave Fukuda a meaningful sideways glance before continuing, "How about _you_ arrange an appointment with her for me?" 

Before Fukuda could say anything, much less react, Tohma was out of the office and making his way down the corridor, heading for the elevator. It wasn't a question, a request, or a suggestion; it was a statement and an order from Seguchi Tohma, N-G President.

Fukuda sank back down into his seat and closed his eyes, letting the troubling thoughts swirl in his mind for a few minutes before finally picking up the phone and dialing the extension number for his secretary. He spoke in a slow, tired voice over the phone and his secretary easily guessed what happened between him and the N-G President.  
  
"Miyu, get Fukuyama on the phone for me, please? I have… something to tell her."

---

"_My name is Fukuyama Kyoko, it's a pleasure to meet you!_"

Hiro watched as the black-haired young woman Rage had introduced to them as her 'source' extended a hand out to their Manager. There was a grin on K's lips as he took the smaller woman's hands in his. "_It's K, I'm Nittle Grasper's Manager."_

Kyoko laughed before going, "_I knew that, Mr K. I've been a big fan of BAD LUCK ever since they came out, so I should know _you_."_

"I like your attitude…." K said, grinning even wider. _"Fukuyama – your father wouldn't happen to be Fukuyama Ernest?"_

__

"How did you know?" Kyoko asked suddenly, looking inquisitive. Then her eyes widened, "_Crawd Winchester! Oh God! I did _not_ realize!"_

If it were possible, K would have grinned even wider.

Hiro blinked and Rage, who was beside him, gave a low whistle. "I knew something was fishy when she began talking about her dad having sources…. Turns out her dad has lots of friends in the CIA…."

Hiro nodded slowly then turned his attention to Noriko and Sakano who were standing together in a corner, both looking completely lost. He couldn't blame though, it wasn't as if he wasn't confused by all of this too. Ryuichi was nowhere in sight, but that was because he'd excused himself earlier under the pretense of 'having to go to the restroom.' Hiro suspected there was something more to that, and then some. 

"I wonder where Ryuichi is…" he thought out loud and Rage gave him a look.

---

Ryuichi quietly leaned against the stall's wall, Kumagorou clutched in his arms and while he fixed his gaze onto the ceiling, he strained his ears, listening intently to the sound of water running. If he listened harder, he knew he would hear something else, but decided he was content enough with this.

"It's a hangover…" a quiet voice said finally and the sound of running water stopped. The sound of slow, shallow breathing punctuated the silence after the voice trailed away. 

"….What happened last night?" Another voice asked quietly. There was a beat of silence and the second voice spoke again, this time in a louder, sharper voice, "_This isn't a hangover_, is it?" 

Silence once more.

"_Is it?"_

"No… it.. isn't—" the first voice said finally and its owner took a deep breath. "I'll be fine though!" it continued in a cheerful, yet strained voice, "I took pills for it… they should be working soon…. Don't tell Ai or Freesia, _please_."

"How long…?" 

"No... it's just this night. I told you it's nothing… it's nothing, okay?" Another pause, "I'd rather not have Ai and Freesia know about this... okay? It's just nothing… I'll be perfectly fine in no time…"

"You know what the doctor said…."

"I know… but really, it's nothing!"

A sigh; the owner of the second voice heaved a heavy sigh, before asking once more. "Yuki, tell me what happened last night. If you won't tell Ai or Freesia then _at least_, tell _me…"_

There was silence and then the sound of something slapping against the smooth, ceramic-tiled walls filled Ryuichi's ears. His lips disappeared into a thin line and he tilted his head, narrowing his eyes as he stared distantly at the wall in front of him.

"….there was this man… I…. I ran over him.. or something – okay? Happy? He told me my song is… crap, no questions asked. He had the _gall_ to say that to my face after running in front of my car and wanting to commit suicide—"

"Yuki…"

"No… no.... please, just…. don't touch me. _Don't pity me, okay?_ I know my songs aren't good… I know… I know…. But couldn't he at least… understand? Does he _know_ that's the only thing I can do? Does he? I try my hard… I.. I…" Breathing. There was silence again, "I'm sorry… it's nothing, really!"

The sound of rushing water filled the silence that came afterwards and when it stopped, the first voice spoke again, this time in a cheerful voice. It was as if nothing had happened and Ryuichi knew _something_ had happened.

"Well, that's forgotten… I won't be seeing the man again, so there... that's… that's a good release.—" 

"_Chibi_, you prick." The second voice said softly.

The owner of the first voice laughed, "Oh yeah – I forgot to show you yesterday… the reason I came to school was to show you this. Tohma-kun dropped by early yesterday and gave this to Freesia—"

"_Chibi_ – you do know what this is right…? Damn, you really _are_ a prick!"

Laughter. "I know… I know… isn't it neat? I didn't think he'd actually do it but see… authentic copy! _Grasper_'s latest album, Limited Edition and it's only coming out of the shelves when…?"

Ryuichi closed his eyes and listened as their voices died down and finally, until silence reigned in the restroom once more. 

"Tohma, _what_ have you done?" he whispered softly then, once he was sure there was no one else but him in the restroom. His voice echoed, and then he stood away from the wall and stepped out of the stall, intent on getting back to his bandmates.

---

I'm trying to avoid using the number thingies, but I'm pretty sure there are stuff in here that warrant a number thingie… But still, I'll just keep it clean for now, unless I really need them…! Anyway, response to the** wonderful** reviewers from both Gurabiteshiyon.net and FF.net ^_^! 

Pato San: _Wow –_ I can't even really begin to describe what I feel about your reviews ^^ So uplifting… XD I feel extremely flattered and when I read them I really felt like working even harder… I'm glad and honored that you love it ^^ Waah… such kind words. I'll work harder! I hope you liked this chapter… .! :-O!!

rulerofthecows – So you noticed the comment on the Volvo, ne? Hee… I hope this chapter was okay because this _is_ longer than the previous chapter…:-O! And I was working hard to keep what I'd had originally planned for this chapter in it… instead of splitting it into two chapters again and stuff! : 3

lost in a reverie – *grins* Getting ideas, ne? But yeah, Yuki's Yukito's nickname… hee.. *not saying it differently* I inserted a part on how Yukito got the ring.. and stuff. : 3 Oh, I'm pretty sure I'll have more Eiri/Yukito stuff later on…

anime-earth – Happy Chinese New Year to you too :-D Whew! I would have finished this earlier… but… my new-found obsession with _Chihiro Onitsuka_…. got in the way ^^ Just you wait til' next chapter. You'll see what Ryuichi has planned for them… mwahahaha—

Seishirou – ^^; Well, we do get his reaction after seeing Yukito's likeness to his Shu-chan, ne?

Boogie-chan and Co. – Whew! *waves* I'm still working on your pic – I'll probably have it water-colored, since doing it digitally takes forever…. Oh, and I _still_ have a few surprises up my sleeve : 3 Have you noticed something already? ^^ And that's a wonderful theory, *grins* I can't tell you though if you're right or not but, I think you're getting a bit of the idea now… hee.. I hope you like this chapter….XD!

Lara – Yay! Here's my update ^^ I hope you like it :-D!

batman -- ^^ Shuusama and Phone Call are awesome, I know ^^ And what do you think about this chapter now? It's long….

Hikaru Itsuko – I hope you're not confused in a bad way... XD Anyway, I hope this chapter answers your questions…: 3 So what do you think now? 

Ana : *pouts* You = mean :-P And no, I think I should go and grab my _RahXephon_ now… you've finished it, ne?

baybhie – But your fic is awesome! It's just right that I 'advertise' it ^^;; As for your questions – this pretty much answers half of your first questions, ne? As for Tohma's motives… hee… he has his reasons : 3 And then more… Keep working on your fic, btw – I want Yuki and Shuichi together….And I'd like to thank you too for mentioning my fic in your latest chapter. *clings* *hugs* Gomen though, I can't answer your Yukito-Shuichi question.. you'll have to see ^^;;

Oh, and I'll probably begin using your summary next chapter… : 3

Bunny-chan - *laughs* *grins* Shh! Shh! That's the plot twist! Lol! I wonder if anyone saw your review… As for theory – you know, I think the farther they read through this, the more your guess is going to sound plausible… but like I said, suspect one will be revealed here ^^;; Is it okay? XD ^_^ *worships Bunny-chan* Are you done with _Sweet Nothing_'s latest installment yet? Tell me you are…XD!

CJ-Chan: ^^; Yes, suspense…^^;; 

Fangel: This time I'm not missing you like I did last time! XD Here's my update then… baybhie was telling me about my summary. Maybe I should change it… lol But I'm glad you like it and that you think it's intriguing ^^ I hope you find this chapter good ^^

Nyoko: I was waiting for your review, you know ^^;; Somehow now there's a reason for a delay.. lol, well, here's the next chapter :-D! I'm glad you're not confused anymore! And yes, I know now everyone will begin asking whether Yukito is Shuichi…. or not. : 3 And yes, Eiri's accident is all part of the master plan.. or at least I hope it came out good here… Oh and, was this chapter okay? :-O :-P It _is_ longer….

There! Finally done! I want to thank all the people who reviewed, and read this fic again! You people are wonderful… Oh and, _HAPPY CHINESE NEW YEAR! _Because, wow, I actually got an update done just a few days after it! _Phone Call's_ and _War of Hearts' _latest chapters were awesome and still waiting for _Sweet Nothing_, _Breaking Away,_ and _Only a small bump in the head_ here… Wah, so much good fanfics to read…! _Chihiro Onitsuka_ rocks and _RahXephon_ is awesome. I'll see everyone next update ^^;; Hopefully, I'll have it finished next week too… holidays… Whew.. this _is_ long.

^_^


	12. Hatred

Disclaimer: Gravitation does not belong to me. Ne, I doubt Gravitation would be as good if I owned it anyway. I'm not making any money out of this either and am just borrowing its characters….

A/N:  I finally got this one done – I was afraid I'd lost touch for this fic after the inspiration for this one just kept slipping away whenever I thought about it. I swear, tutoring drains a lot from me. But! I'm glad I'm done with this and I hope it's not that bad….. It's still **unedited**, as usual, and it's… a bit… out, or at least it feels like it, still I hope it's okay. I'm so sorry for not getting an update sooner! I'd just been uber busy with school and tutoring. *sighs* Anyway, big thanks to **Pato San** and the **CPV-Phantoms-CTFA** (Boogie-chan, Dark, Vince, Payu… am I missing anyone? :-O I hope not!)! **Pato San **for encouraging me and inspiring me to write this one, thanks to her constant reminder (^^) I finally got this one done! This chapter is dedicated to you even if you deserve a **whole** **lot** more, you're an awesome writer and **War of Hearts** is just awesome! And then Boogie-chan and the rest for continuously reading and review this fic! Your review always makes me uber happy!  Hee, I couldn't get the pic done for you though, I'd wanted to draw a scene from the fic, but this (the Yukito one…. ) will have to do for now… I won't give up though! I'll draw something for you :-)!

Pics I did over the holidays: 

( www (dot) angelfire (dot) com/games4/white_crescent/_04-30-1_bloodyukto.jpg )  —  It's Yukito.. except.. uh… with a touch of X/1999? 

This pic, on the other hand, has Ai and Yukito in it: ( www (dot) angelfire (dot) com/games4/white_crescent/_04-30-1_tieddestiny.jpg )

Twelve: Hatred

_The morning rays filtered through the cream-colored blinds, marking the arrival of the new day and serving as a reminder to the young man hard at work behind the keyboards placed at the center of the dimly lit room of the time. He turned to the source of the light and, squinting, begged silently for more time before turning to his music once more. Blue eyes watered at the realization that he would not be able to play the song he was given today with the skill he hoped for. Dejected and disheartened, he allowed his fingers to press on the keys to form the kind of sound that reflected his feelings. _

_"I….I can't…" the declaration came as soft whisper that filled the empty room and left it with a deafening silence. With half-lidded eyes he scrutinized the slender fingers on the keys, wondering what defined the fingers of a skilled and gifted keyboardist. _

_Slender fingers trailed across his arms, feather-like touches that sent shivers down his spine, before coming to rest above his smaller and slightly darker hands. "You can." was whispered into his ears, soft and gentle. It tickled him with its lull and gentleness as it brought a familiar comfort and yet that comfort was not enough to deny the fact before him. He clamped his eyes shut and tilted his head upwards, becoming fully aware of the warm body pressed against his back. He let out a shaky sigh before shaking his head in defeat._

_"I can't!" he cried softly, desperately as tears began to form at the edge of his eyes. "I….I can't be like you, Seguchi-san…. I..can't.." he whispered and was only dimly aware when the hand above his, paler and slightly bigger in size, pressed its thumb against his own, causing a single lonely note to sound and to fill the silence effectively._

_The older man rested his head on the crook of his arm and slowly began playing a tune, guiding the younger man's less-experienced hands on the keys. "You can, Yuki. You can."_

_With a shaky breath, he turned his head slightly and stared into the amber orbs that were Seguchi Tohma's eyes and stayed like that until the older man placed his right hand to rest on his cheek and began tracing his jawbone with feather-light touches._

_"You can."_

---

Once in a while, either Ruka or Takumi would cast worried looks to the sleep-deprived brunette seated beside the window, a pencil in hand as he tapped it on his notebook, or his desk, or nibbled at its head while deep in thought. Yukito was deep in thought and hard at work to finish something – that something being the lyrics to the piece he'd been working on for what seemed to be forever, both Ruka and Takumi surmised. The boy would stop and jot down a few words occasionally before shaking his head in clear disapproval and then erasing what he had just written before returning to what had become routine for him for the past few hours. 

Breathing deeply, Yukito closed his eyes to think and felt the sleepiness threaten to overwhelm his tired body. He yawned, covering his mouth, and rubbed the sleep out of his eyes before concentrating on the lyrics written on the crumpled piece of lined-paper on the desk in front of him, almost wishing the words he had written would rearrange themselves to form that one missing stanza. He couldn't be sure how long he had been seating beside that window, occasionally looking out in search of inspiration in the sky, the court, the people downstairs, the trees – anything his eyes fell on. It was as if the words he never had a problem on calling on before had fled him and he was left with nothing except this constant nagging feeling that his lyrics would never be, could never be 'right'. He changed the first stanza when he suddenly realized how immature it was, only to realize that by changing it, he was changing the whole meaning of the song and went on changing everything, turning the whole thing upside down. There was a dull thudding at the back of his head, distant and faint, but he knew that if he put his mind into deeper stress then he would end up with one massive headache. 

He threw his pencil on the desk and watched as it rolled down and came to a rest just above his unfinished lyrics. Ruka stopped tuning his guitar, looking up to see what Yukito was doing now, before returning to what he had been doing. While Yukito stared at his desk, the look on his face clearly said he was not giving up and so Ruka continued waiting. 

Yukito noticed the dark marks on the paper, the crumple-marks caused by impatient and rough erasing and the almost unreadable scrawls all over the piece of paper and wondered how a song could be so short and yet so hard to write. How many words made up a line? He'd done research papers and essays that were much longer and he didn't have as much trouble with them as he did with songs. He'd ever written them in English too and here he was, stumped and unable to come up with less than a hundred words or so that fit.

But it made sense too, he supposed. He eyed the parts of the song he'd finished softly, reading into the meaning behind the words he put together. A song may be composed of only a few hundred words or so but it was meant to hold something more; emotion, stories worth a thousand unsaid words. 

He ran a hand through his brown hair, closing his eyes, as he leaned back on his chair. He shouldn't stop, not couldn't, but _shouldn't_. He couldn't let the man win. He couldn't let the man _be_ right about him. The man didn't _know_ him, didn't know what he was capable of, and didn't know him_ enough_ to judge him like that. 

Biting his lower lip, he picked his pencil up and began nibbling on the head of his pencil again, realizing suddenly how he couldn't think of anything else but the man with soft golden hair, eyes that were somehow equally golden and such powerful words. 

He sighed and closed his eyes, allowing his mind the freedom to go wherever it wanted to go instead of forcing the words to come.

_In order to knock down the times of silence, you who dozed off…._

---

Breathing deeply and unbuttoning the first few buttons of his shirt, Eiri leaned back on the bed, using his arms to hold him up, and stared at the unfamiliar ceiling above him. He had called everyone he needed to call earlier just so they wouldn't arrange a search party for him, like he knew a certain blonde Record Company President would, and now it was just him and the companionable silence. He had turned his mobile phone off to make sure nobody destroyed that precious silence he wanted to bask in and needed to clear his cloudy mind.

For the most part of the morning, he had slept, suffering from a nasty hangover, but now he was fine and mentally capable of thinking through what had happened. He was still in a state of figuring out whether it was real or just dream induced by the alcohol in his system. He had all the time in the world, so to speak anyway, with the lot of reporters and such having flocked to his apartment sometime in the morning. He knew they were coming, what with what had been shown on TV last night, or was it the day before yesterday? He wasn't sure of the day, wasn't even sure if it had been real. It had been a good idea to ask to be driven to this hotel.

He stopped and his eyebrows furrowed, remembering something. He remembered the boy he had convinced to driving him into the hotel last night, clearly. How could he forget the boy, with his likeness to Shuichi. It was _him _that made Eiri doubt the reality of it all. It was him and his _face_. 

He swallowed and closed his eyes before lifting a hand to massage them. He pursed his lips and frowned, finding it hard to shake his mind off the boy.

_'He isn't Shuichi_.' 

He thought he was done with this, thought he'd convinced himself enough that the boy couldn't be Shuichi because Shuichi was _dead_. Dead people didn't come back to life on a daily basis and Shuichi, the adorable idiot that he was, would never forget him anyway. The boy _didn't_ _know_ him and Shuichi practically sang his name like a mantra of sorts. He couldn't forget that, couldn't forget him, period.

Even if the boy had blue eyes just like Shuichi's, a face, a voice – he wasn't Shuichi and it troubled Eiri that he was thinking about someone like this just because… just because…

"He looks like Shuichi…" he whispered quietly before gritting his teeth and sitting up sharply. "Damn…. damn…."  He hissed as he buried his face into his hands and began shaking his head in hopes of getting his mind off the offending topic.

He didn't need this, didn't need this boy to confuse him. He didn't want to think about it, didn't want to admit it, but deep down there was this voice that urged him to just take the boy and _pretend_ it was Shuichi, not whoever he was. It wouldn't be so hard after all. How long had it been since he last slept with Shuichi? It was all a haze in his head now and he could just as easily pretend it was Shuichi; his body might not be the same but the face was enough, enough to convince and bring comfort to his much troubled heart and soul.

Even if it was wrong.

"I don't want it, dammit!" He whispered angrily, biting his lower lip. He let his hands fall onto his lap and then he noticed the thin sheen of moisture on his palms, glistening in the light.

He had been crying.

---

The room was big and spacious, the floor was carpeted in deep blue and they matched the walls that were a lighter shade, albeit duller, blue. There were several metal cabinets and chairs folded up and stacked against the wall in the right side of the room. On the left side of the room there was a drum set, set aside and neatly arranged with a bunch of sound system equipment amongst other things like microphone stands and such. Then at the northern part of the room was a group of two keyboards, lined up together, their surfaces covered with papers. The room was neat and clean, except for the occasional pieces of what looked to be music sheets on the floor and there was an unmistakable air of melancholy in the air.

_Eiri sat on one of the chairs left standing beside the metal cabinets, his head cradled in his hands as he went through the whole situation with himself. How was he supposed to react to this? What was he supposed to do from here? His head was throbbing and there were so many thoughts swirling in his mind at the moment he didn't know where to start. He had been in an accident, or at least that was what a distant voice in his mind was saying, and now here he was and there was a boy who looked so much like Shuichi it just couldn't be possible. _

_Three things: First the accident, here and then the boy. It all sounded so simple and yet Eiri found it amazingly difficult to choose where to start. He didn't want to start, they were all tied together and were caused by one thing and that one thing was something he didn't want to remember at the moment. He had been drunk, he wanted to die and suddenly there was the boy. And he was sure it had been Shuichi who looked down at him and that he had died. But the boy couldn't be Shuichi because Shuichi had died last year and now he didn't die like Eiri thought he did. Or maybe he didn't die at all._

_Inhaling sharply, Eiri forced himself to stop, just stop thinking._

_"This isn't working." He declared finally in a breathy whisper as he rose from the chair. He swayed a bit and figured he had drunk a lot more than he should have as he swept his eyes across the room. He hadn't thought about where he was or why he was here when he woke up. The first thing that came to his mind was that Shuichi had been there, looking down at him, and when he heard the voice he felt compelled to do nothing more than look for the source of that voice. And that voice; he thought it was Shuichi's but it couldn't have been. He felt a pang in his heart when he thought about how he shouldn't have thought it was Shuichi calling him in the first place. He was alive, Shuichi was dead and he, he knew he wouldn't have been able to tell Shuichi's voice with any other singer. He didn't listen to his songs enough, didn't listen to him singing enough…._

_And he thought it was Shuichi singing, thought the voice was like Shuichi's…_

_He found himself staring pointedly at the door the boy had disappeared into and wondered what lay beyond it. Why had the boy run away from him? _

_"I don't know." He found himself whispering while he gave his head a shake. The statement answered more than just that, he knew. He didn't know why the boy had run away from him. He didn't know why he was here. He didn't know why it was troubling him like this. He didn't know… didn't know who the boy was._

_And the boy didn't know him._

_He tore his eyes away from the door and found himself staring at the northern part of the room, eyes particularly interested at the mess of papers on them. He walked over to the keyboards quietly, secretly glad for the distraction. _

_The first thing that came to his mind once he was standing in front of the keyboards and looking down at those papers was the word 'music sheets'. Sometimes, before, Shuichi would invite Hiro and Ryuichi to their apartment to work on songs together. Whenever he came home, and they were in the middle of songwriting, he would always be met with the sight of his living room scattered with papers of the sort. Shuichi would be in the middle of it all with Sakuma Ryuichi, a notebook in hand as he wrote done each and every one of Ryuichi's suggestions and there would be a look of extreme serious on his face. Shuichi then would suddenly look up and, upon noticing his arrival, flash him that smile that never failed to warm his heart even after a difficult and tiring day and welcome him back home. _

_He picked up one of the sheets on top but before he could give scan through it, he noticed the piece of silver glinting in the light, hidden underneath the papers. Paper still in one hand, he used his other hand to pick up that piece of silver only to realize that it was his ring. With a look of disbelief, he checked his right hand and found his ring missing. He checked the writing inside the ring then and when he confirmed that it was indeed his ring, found himself both relieved and curious. He slipped it back on and stared at it long and hard._

_Why was his ring there?  _

_When he was convinced he wouldn't be getting the answer by just staring at the ring, he turned his attention to the paper in his hand. After reading the first few lines, he realized that it was the lyrics to a song and judging from the erasure marks on the paper among other things, he surmised that that whoever wrote it was trying to make a song. _

_"Just like Shuichi." Eiri muttered bitterly after the first few lines, not entirely because of the meaning behind the words on it. _

_The sound of a door opening caused Eiri to look away from the paper and to the direction of the sound. Golden eyes filled with contempt, he eyed the boy. The boy looked up at him, face visibly drained of all color but with wide, blue eyes, and smiled weakly. _

_"Awake, ne?" the boy asked quietly, slowly walking towards Eiri. "I… I'm sorry about that. It's just… I was surprised… you see…" The boy laughed weakly and then noticed the ring on Eiri's right hand._

_"Oh, you found it? I… I sort of forgot to give it back. I was planning to give it back when you woke up—" The boy let out a nervous laugh. "But, um… I wasn't thinking you'd wake up so early!" _

_"You wrote this?" Eiri questioned flatly, seemingly boring holes through the boy as he stared at the boy and waved the piece of paper. The boy stiffened and stared at him for a few long moments before nodding his head slowly._

_"Uh… yeah. I… I did." A smile broke on the boy's lips and the topic seemed to ease him. He spoke clearer and with much more confidence when he continued. "I'm still not done with it though, I can't figure ou—"_

****

_"It's crap." Eiri cut him off, putting the paper back with all the other papers and turning fully to face the boy. "You might as well not finish it because it's sickening." He told the boy matter-of-factly and watched as the boy's mouth opened and his eyes widened in disbelief. A few moments of silence passed between them and with that expression on the boy's face, Eiri found it easier to believe this boy wasn't Shuichi.  _

_Shuichi would have pouted and latched onto him, begging and whining for him to take the words back, but the boy did the exact opposite. "Tell me it isn't crap!" the boy cried suddenly, stomping towards him with a flushed face. _

_"I've seen enough of these and I can tell this is crap." He told the boy bluntly and it was true. Eiri wasn't talking about Shuichi's lyrics though. Shuichi had learned and improved, matured and learned more about how harsh reality was, all the while keeping optimism in his writings that later on didn't seem so impossible and ridiculous._

_The boy looked away, clearly insulted and something else Eiri couldn't name. There was something in the boy's eyes that almost made Eiri regret having said those words. It was almost as if he was doing this to Shuichi and this almost made him want to stop. 'But he isn't Shuichi.' He reminded himself, 'because Shuichi was murdered and this…. isn't him.' Bitterness welled up inside him when he was reminded of Shuichi's murder and he felt hatred towards this boy for looking like Shuichi. He didn't have the right to look like Shuichi, to do these things, to sing, to write songs because then, then he would be so much like Shuichi and it sickened Eiri._

_ It was an insult. _

_"It's not even finished yet. How do you know it's going to be crap?" The boy tried again, walking up to him and folding his arms. Eiri felt those blue eyes on him, accusing and filled with anger. The boy was livid and Eiri didn't understand what was so important about those lyrics. _

_Just like he didn't understand Shui—He stopped himself and gritted his teeth. Silently, he reprimanded himself for thinking of such a thought. No, Shuichi was a different case. He shouldn't be comparing Shuichi with this…. _

_…boy_

_"Because it's going to." he told the boy finally. "Would you please just shut up now and stop this?" He said, his voice dripping with sarcasm before the boy could come up with another argument. He glowered at the boy, displaying his immense displeasure and almost immediately, the boy shut up, shrinking and withering under his glare._

_"You ran over me." Eiri said finally after a long moment of silence. The boy's mouth opened and closed, seemingly at lost for words before finally yelling angrily. "You're the one who jumped into my car's way, you suicidal jerk!" _

_Eiri froze but he kept a straight face. "And you didn't see me?"_

_"I didn't see yo—Well, you appeared out of nowhere before I could do anything! And I wasn't drunk either!" _

_"I didn't ask if you were drunk or not, idiot." Eiri pointed out, earning him a groan from the boy. "So you were drunk – it's clearly your fault then."_

_"It is not. I wasn't drunk, a few glasses don't make you drunk—" The boy paused, taking the time to catch his breath before continuing, "You're the one who should have known better than to walk into a road like that."_

_"You're just trying to justify yourself, you definitely look guilty." Eiri said calmly, sounding very convincing even if deep down he knew he had been in the wrong. The boy was right, he had been suicidal to an extent, and it was his fault. But his pride wouldn't let him stoop so low as to admit that._

_The boy bowed his head down in defeat and was quiet until Eiri spoke again._

_"I need you to drive to a hotel, since I don't know where the hell I am."  'And my apartment would be swarmed by reporters by tomorrow.' He told the boy, eyes fixed on the boy's brown head. He found perverse pleasure in seeing the boy defeated like this, humbled with the truth beaten verbally into him. _

_"Why should I drive you to anywhere? Can't you walk? I'm sure you can find your way by yourself." The boy asked, the bitterness clear in his voice, as he stared at Eiri in the eye, blue eyes clouded and a mixture of emotion. The harmless stare turned into a withering glare when the boy spoke again, "I'll take the other car, follow me." The boy turned his back on him and began walking away quietly. _

_There was a total of three cars in the garage Eiri was taken to – a blue Toyota Supra, a black Mercedez and a black BMW. Eiri recognized, only vaguely however, the blue Toyota Supra to be the car the boy had been driving in and when the boy walked past it he arched an eyebrow. _

_The boy got in the car and once he was in the driver's seat, opened the door beside the front passenger seat and then rolled down his window. "Get in." the boy told him quietly and after that, throughout the whole drive, not a word more was exchanged between them._

The boy, under his instructions, drove him to a high-class hotel downtown which he was a member of. He stepped out of the car in silence when it was opened for him and just as he was about to walk away, he heard the sound of a window rolling down mechanically and then his driver's voice.  
  
****

_"Wait – next time you want to die, Mister, try jumping in front of another car, okay? Not mine." _

Before he could whip around and say something to the boy, the car had gone. Recalling the words, a sense of déjà vu hit him. He'd said the same…. before….

---

"Sorry I took so long na no da!" 

Ryuichi bounced into the office happily, catching the attention of everyone in the room. He gave Hiro a wave and ran towards them. "You didn't tell my decision to him yet, ne, Hiro?" he asked, eyes twinkling with something Hiro couldn't identify. Hiro shook his head with a smile.

"Nah, you go ahead Ryu-chan." He said with a nod, gesturing towards the Principal seated behind the desk. Ryuichi whipped around, a wide grin plastered on his face before bouncing towards the Principal. Noriko had to smile at their vocalist's antics and she gave Hiro a look, but the brunette guitarist was watching Ryuichi closely, the expression on his face dead serious. 

"Ne, I've decided that my band will play on your Fes—" Ryuichi began, turning serious as the grin on his face became less innocent and more impish. "—under two conditions though."

Noriko snapped her head to Ryuichi's direction and everyone was surprised. Hiro's eyes narrowed, knowing beforehand Ryuichi had something in mind. It was just something with the way the singer had been acting all morning.

"First, I want your Ryu-chan and Shu-chan to sing Shining Collection because I like that song, na no da—" The vocalist explained, "The next… I have a tiny favor to ask of Yuki-chan. If he does it, I'll have the band play, if not…" Ryuichi's eyes narrowed, "Then no…."

The room was silent and then Ryuichi laughed suddenly. "It's not gonna be so hard though, no da! For sure Yuki-chan will be able to do it… and it'll only take a week too. So, do you agree?"

---

_Yuki?_

He felt like he was swimming in water, unable to open his eyes, unable to think properly, unable to move. He breathed in and out, a slow and almost painful movement that he wished he could just opt not to do but was a necessity, nevertheless, to continue living. On the second breath, he wondered just how long he had been in this state and tried to remember how he got here and strained his ears for any form of sound.

He remembered sleeping, or something like that, the darkness creeping from the edges of his sight, and a dull pain… at the back of his head? He heard the faint sound of engines, of faint conversation and felt, vaguely, the tough material underneath his bare arms. He heard his own breathing, but it felt so far away, so distant. Was he making up things? He didn't know, couldn't be sure, but he knew he heard those things. Now or Before, it didn't matter.

Or was he hearing it still? He couldn't think straight, as if a thick fog had descended upon his mind and that was obscuring everything. _Everything_.

He remembered his Yuki's voice, though, crisp and clear, albeit sounding just a tiny bit distant.

Where was he?

He didn't know.

---

And, as usual, response to the **awesome** reviewers from both Gurabiteshiyon.net and FF.net  (hee, you guys keep me going!): 

Pato San – Your reviews are just awesome! I just find myself reading it from time to time whenever the inspiration doesn't want to come and it motivates me to do better! Gah! I love you! Can I hug you? :-O Lol, but anyway, I hope you liked this chapter – even if it's probably not what you expected… and I hope you keep working on **War of Hearts** because it's awesome! I **love** Hatori-chan! Hatori! Hatori! Will you kill me if I root for Hatori/Shuichi? :-P 

Boogie-chan and Dark – Hee, found another way to refer to you guys : 3! I'm glad you're starting to understand it, but I'm pretty sure.. or at least I hope… I still have a trick up my sleeve… Can I say plot twist? Well, I hope you all liked this! And Boogie-chan, your guess is **good**, I can't tell you how close it is to the truth though… : 3 But it's **good** – *whispers* Can I steal your plot and use it for this fic? j/k

Hopemia – Hee.. I'm flattered you think it's the best… XD *flattered* I don't really think so, you see… there are a lot more fics out there that are so much better (like yours…)…XD

Sozoku – ^__^ Update! Update! Here's an update ^_^

silver_dager – *hugs* Mwahah, you don't mind me doing that as long as it's online, right? Hee :-P Yeah, we know you don't like slash :-P I'll keep my evil, perverted mind in check when I'm writing FA then; remember not to make any of the cuter guys bi… or gay.. just "eccentric".

Joan Mistress of Magic – I think I'll bring Shu back, sometime… later in the chapters or something. Hee, or not. j/k. But I love Shu so much this looks like it'll have a fixed  ending.. or something… hee, we'll see :-)!

CJ-Chan – Yes! Yes! Ryu-chan suspects Tohma ^^ Hee… Try downloading the manga off the net, scanlations, I mean. I'm pretty sure if you look heard enough you'll find it, I came across a site which hosts up until early volume 7 of the manga the other day so you should find a site or two :-O!

fireydragon97 – Thank you :-) I'm glad you like it ^__^

rulerofthecows – Um… this chapter doesn't answer much of your questions, but maybe next chapter? I'm planning to have more Eiri and Yukito interaction anyway… I hope you like it! *looks nervously at the cows…* ^^;;

Dearest – Freesia was smiling because… um… somethings wrong with the picture? ^^;; *zips mouth* I can't give out! :-O Lol, but I hope you like this chapter (I keep saying this…)! .!

Seishirou – ^__^ Um, I'm not sure what'll happen to Fukuda, but I know what'll happen to Tohma… : 3

Animegirl9 – No way it puts your fic to shame! Your fic is awesome! So awesome! It was your fic that really bugged me enough to want to actually write _Last Song_ finally – I wanted to write Tachi/Taki and I still feel like writing a Tachi-fic at the moment…. @_@ Gah, I think you capture characters' personalities better, sometimes I find myself staring at this fic and wondering why my original characters are just… there. I wish I could do more for them! Bwah! Hee, I'm glad you like them though… they're bouncing… happily… in brain… ^^;;

Lara – ^^ Thanks… Well, I suppose I'll finally have more plot next chapter … or not, but I hope you like where this fic will go ^^;;

dark-kagome2 – No! Don't kill yourself is Shu isn't Yukito…. Or do I have to make Yukito, Shu? *thinks* Hmm….

Bunny-chan - *glomps* How can I not mention you (and your fic) again? :-P You're an awesome writer I melt whenever I read your stories. XD And lol, _yes_! _Yes_! Yes you gave the plot twist away! Lol, j/k. ^__^;; We'll see, ne? I want _Sweet Nothings_ *pouts* and _Your Song_…. Still have to download that song…*dies*…

Fangel – Um… I suppose I should be glad those two characters *coughs* are getting to some people's nerves, tells me I'm doing something right… I think. ^^;; Ryu does know something, though it may not be what everyone thinks it is, or something. :-d Glad you like the last chapter and I hope you like this one too.. . More plot next chapter, I promise.. I think I'll even start working on it the moment I post this chapter up…

Nyoko – Yes, yes I waited for your review ^^;; We have more flashbacks this time because I had some parts between the last chapter that wouldn't fit anywhere else really (the big chunk of Eiri/Yukito exchange up there and the first flashieback….) I hope you like them! I don't know where I'd heard about K being an ex-CIA though – it's not the in the anime though, that's for sure. Must be one of those fanfics I read waaaay before. I forgot one teeny detail last chapter though and I hope that even if I forgot to mention it (I might just insert it somewhere next chapter too) everyone has the idea… um… the darts.. tranquilizer… *coughs* Got them off _Metal Gear Solid 2 : Sons of Liberty_ which my little brother was crazy about some time before…. Anyway! I promise to work harder! YES! I'll finish this….! I hope this chapter was good though :-)

Yay! And _wow_, um, I didn't realize I got this lot of reviews for this chapter. *coughs* Hopefully this was good – if not, then **sorry!**Tutoring killed creativity and pushed muses to the back wall of my mind for most of the time, I swear, I'll never take a tutoring job that's Monday to Friday (while I'm still in high school, anyway)! No more! Reading **_War of Hearts_**by _Pato San_, **_The Opposite of Gravity_** by _Animegirl9_, **_Your Song_** by _xxTsukimiOdangoxx_ and **_Je Suis Desole_** by _CassiToThestars_ at the moment. Lovely stories… make me doubt my writing skills…. Need more _Phone Call_ and _Breaking Away_ and _Sweet Nothing_…. Too many good fanfics to read and to follow…. Must see how plot revolves for _Shuusama_ – I think I'm reading too many fanfics for my own good… Finally, will anyone murder me if I started another series fic while doing _Yuki_? Hmm…. 

^_^


	13. Attempt

Disclaimer: Gravitation does not belong to me. Ne, I doubt Gravitation would be as good if I owned it anyway. I'm not making any money out of this either and am just borrowing its characters….

A/N: An update finally! After thirteen days of cranking and all that! Amazing! I don't have much to say, except, I worked hard on this chapter and it was _hard_ because of… many, many things. Problems at home and school prevented me from finishing earlier, but I'm kind of glad I didn't finish earlier – I like what it turned into… I'm not sure if you'll like it as much. I know my writing skills have been... declining lately. Must be the sheer amount of great fanfics lately! Me overshadowed! _ Still **unedited**! I hope you all like this chapter! And, thanks to **Pato San**, **Bunny-chan**, and my best friends, **Natalie** and **Marcya** (Although she wanted me to finish this for different reasons *coughs*). Natalie, thanks for putting up with me! *glomps* I know I've been such a bother! _! Whining about it and all that! And, finally, "**Thank You!**"to all my readers and for patiently waiting for this chapter! I hope you like it! :-O! Happy reading :-D!

And Sketches: 

http : // www . angelfire . com/games4/white_crescent/_04-20-2_musicfans.jpg – Yukito + Takumi 

http : // www . angelfire . com/games4/white_crescent/_04-20-2_ruka_takumi_setsuna.jpg – Ruka, Takumi and Setsuna in one pic. It looks… weird. I tried…

Thirteen: Attempt

"All right, Eiri. Take care."

The words tumbled out of the NG President's lips in a bare whisper, sure the person on the other end of the line wouldn't bother to listen to mere goodbye from him. Tohma set the receiver back on its cradle and allowed his gaze to linger on its smooth black plastic casing before turning slowly, deliberately, to his wife who stood at the other end of the room, right beside the door, watching him in complete silence. Mika's face was somber, her eyebrows were knitted and her lips were pressed into a thin line. Worry for her younger brother was clear in her soft, brown eyes as she waited for her husband's impending announcement. 

"He's alright." Tohma said finally after a long moment of silence and Mika heaved a sigh of relief before breaking into a small grateful smile. "I'm glad," she said simply and watched as her husband walked towards her, covering the distance between him and her in long, smooth strides. The NG President took the wife into his arms quietly, placing a hand over the small of his wife's back and another on his wife's head, and to anyone who could have witnessed the rare display of possession and affection, it would have seemed natural, or normal. But what went on between Seguchi Tohma and his wife, Uesugu Mika could hardly be classified 'normal'. 

"Don't worry yourself too much." Tohma whispered softly, letting his lips curve into a genuine smile, as he ran his fingers through his wife's hair. Mika let out a quiet sigh as she buried herself deeper into her husband's embrace and nodded quietly in response to her husband's order. A few moments of silence, nowhere near uncomfortable or cold, passed between them and it was punctuated by the quiet sounds of Tohma removing a leather glove to run a bare hand through his wife's hair. Mika closed her eyes, well aware of the slender fingers combing through her hair leisurely, the nose pressed to her hair and the small, tiny movements the hand on the small of her back was making. They stayed like that for a few long minutes, relishing in each other's presence and warmth, until Tohma broke away from her abruptly. 

Mika made no protest, understanding the reason to her husband's actions and watched him as he carefully put his gloves on. He gave her a meaningful look before smiling softly and distancing himself from her. "Your brother's outside." Tohma whispered calmly and just like every other time, he sounded as if he had known all along and was only waiting for the right time to announce what was fact. His wife gave him a firm nod and began smoothing the creases on her clothes, the only proof to what had taken place between them minutes ago really happened, with the palm of her hands. 

The office was silent for a few long moments and when the door opened, true to Tohma's word, Tatsuha came waltzing in with an inquisitive look on his face. "And I thought I'd find you two smooching and all that for once—" Tatsuha looked at Mika once before turning to Tohma and then the wide empty space between husband and wife. "—I just remembered, I never see you two together any closer than this…." he trailed away and glowered at the empty space, wondering why whenever he was in their presence the same distance would be between the couple somehow, before turning to his blonde brother-in-law.

"So, where's Aniki?" Tatsuha asked, arching an eyebrow and placing a hand over his hip, "Or do we have to call for a search party now?" He added with a grin, wondering if his brother-in-law caught what he meant by that. Tohma was just unnaturally protective of Eiri and, though Tatsuha would _never_ bring it up in his sister's presence, he wondered, sometimes, if there was something more to the 'attention' Tohma was showering his fair-headed brother-in-law. 

Tohma smiled at Tatsuha, the calm, quiet and somewhat intimidating smile that had Tatsuha wondering if Tohma _did_ catch his meaning.  "He's fine. I was on the phone with him just now." The NG President explained before turning his wife who shook her head with a smile. "Eiri's learning, _finally_." Mika added to her husband's statement, her lips curving further into an amused smile that reminded Tatsuha of Tohma strongly. At times like this, he saw just why Mika and Tohma seemed to get along so well. Both of them had the words 'to be feared' written all over them and that was that.

"Sweet. Aren't you missing flooding his phone and mobile phone with lovely, caring messages until he relents and calls by now, Nee~san?" Tatsuha finished in a singsong tone, making sure he said 'Neesan' in the most annoyingly childish tone he could muster. His sister's eyebrows twitched and then her lips spread into a wide, albeit irritated, smile. 

"Yes, Tatsuha, I _am_ missing _showering_ _someone_ with _love_ and _affection._" She paused and waited for the realization to dawn in to her brother before continuing slowly, her voice dripping heavily of sarcasm, "_So_, Tatsuha­-_chan_, care to show your sister how much you love her by volunteering to be Eiri's replacement until he goes back to his old ways?"

"Uh." By the time Mika had finished, Tatsuha found himself a good few steps further from his older sister and he let out a nervous laugh, wondering how he got there without even noticing, and began shaking his hands in front of him. "No thanks. Heh… um. I'll zip up my mouth now….Zipping up!"

Mika folded her arms across her chest and donned a smile of satisfaction. "Good." She paused and then frowned at Tatsuha. "Well, aren't you leaving now?"

Tatsuha grinned sheepishly at her. "Ah, I still have to ask your husband for _something_—" He took a few steps forward so he was just an arm's length to the blonde, "Can you give me the address to the hotel Aniki's staying in?" 

Tohma arched an eyebrow, "What do you want it for?" 

Tatsuha scratched the back of his head and turned his head away from the couple. From the edge of his sight, he saw his sister's face creasing into a slight frown. "Oh, Ryu-chan asked me for it this morning. Told me I have to know."

Mika tilted her head to her left, watching her husband quietly.

"I don't really know why Ryu-chan wanted it, but oh…. I just need it? He was acting… weird last night." Tatsuha paused and then grinned before adding as an afterthought, "We went out partying last night. T'was fun…."

---

The sound of shoes thudding rapidly on the cement floors and shallow breathing echoed across the empty hallway. A blur of pink, black and gray, to anyone who was passing by, Juni came to a reckless, skidding halt that resembled the kind he did with his cars, when his destination came to view. He quickly picked himself up from the floor and ran up towards the door before sliding it open in one, smooth pull. He winced when loud music bombarded his ears and was rudely reminded of the fact that every single room in Campus Two were fitted with soundproof walls. He found himself intrigued though when he did not recognize the song being played.

Juni stepped into classroom, taking notice of the small group of fellow students that had gathered in the room, and closed the door behind with care. He figured he had come just as they were beginning the song since Takumi, who was standing in front of the microphone stand, eyes closed while his feet tapped out the beats to the song rapidly, wasn't singing yet. Ruka was displaying his abilities with the guitar while Yukito's hands moved across the keyboards about him expertly, fingers fleeting across the keys to form the impossibly fast background effects. The intro lasted only for a few more seconds and, a beat off the mark, Takumi began singing. 

_"kamitsuku _OMAE_ no suhada ni ishiki wa tobasare_

_zawatsuita tsuki no umi de korogaru yume o miteta"_

The raven-haired vocalist threw his head up, strands of his silky black hair with their beads of sweat glistening in the light overhead, for a quick intake of air before continuing, this time without missing a beat, though Juni guessed Yukito had something to do with that.

_"sagasumi to amai omoi ni karada o nejireba_

_habikoru _MORARU_ no _BARANSU_ sore dake jya mono tarinai"_

Ruka edged closer to the mic placed beside him and leaned forward to sing along with Takumi. His deeper voice added a certain depth and effect to Takumi's voice and Juni silently applauded Yukito who was _definitely_ the genius behind this piece. Takumi's pieces never did have that kind of thoughtfulness in it and Ruka's style was too far off. Yukito paid attention to the tiniest detail—he paused, glancing up and taking notice of the tiny, tiny sharp sounds that were hardly noticeable—just like that.

****

_"_Just complex_ OMAE dake no_

_KOKORO mune ni hoshikute" _

****

Ruka stepped away from the mic, concentrating once more on his guitar and the beat with his eyes closed and Takumi's voice became clearer, crispier once more.

"_sabitsuita yume o_—" Takumi's voice faltered and he stopped, both hands grasping the mic as he gasped for air. The music stopped abruptly.  "_Gomen_." He whispered quietly after catching his breath and stepped away from the mic. Ruka walked up to him and wordlessly placed a hand on his shoulder before heading for the other end of the room and depositing his guitar beside his chair.

"Yeah, that's just alright—" Yukito said calmly, unplugging his keyboards and then walking over to where a few of his classmates were. "—You did your best, ne, it was just the third try, we can get it soon!" The brunette finished before turning to the fawning girl on one of the chairs and asking them if it was okay.

Juni ignored the completely biased comments coming from his female schoolmates in the room and strode towards the raven-haired vocalist, mindful of the state he was in. That was one of the problems when Yukito composed songs; neither Takumi nor Ruka could reach to whatever level he was composing it for. It almost made Juni wonder how Yukito could come up with a medium for his songs. Yukito, after all, had always professed he couldn't sing. 

He tilted his head to his right and smiled when given a glimpse of Yukito laughing at something brunette student was telling him before snapping his head back to Takumi's direction.

"That was a new song," Juni commented, idly running a hand through his pink hair. He still wasn't so used to having pink hair, instead of his natural, midnight black, but figured if Shindou Shuichi could live with pink hair then so could he, for a few months at least. "Haven't heard that one, it's new, right?" 

Takumi's lips curved into a quiet, calm smile. He shook his head quietly before fixing a few strands of sweat-beaded raven hair back into place. "Not really, but _Ryu-chan_'s just finished the lyrics today… I was just… not prepared." Takumi trailed away and so did his gaze, coming to rest on somewhere outside the window. "….we had the tune done months earlier," Takumi finished after a while, with an oddly calm, yet melancholy smile.

Juni noted the tiny hint of disappointment in Takumi's obsidian eyes but decided not to comment on it. By bringing it up, with Yukito in the same room no less, he would be hurting more than just one person and he really didn't want to hurt Yukito's feelings indirectly.  "Well, we have a month, ne, Takumi? When's your band performing anyway? The acts are on the final day, right?"

Takumi smiled, glancing up, thought for a while before replying to the shorter boy's query. "I think ours is on the twenty-second." He glanced back down and nodded then, "Yeah, it's on the twenty-second. You're performing on the twenty-third and twenty-fifth, right?"

Juni nodded, "Yeah, twenty-third for my solo then twenty-fifth for the Shindou Shuichi-tribute." He broke into a mischievous grin before wrinkling his nose. "I'm performing Shining Collection too… you know?"

A hand clamped over Juni's head, pushing him down. Ruka's cry of disbelief rang in his ears afterards, "What? Shining Collection? I thought you were going to do _Bad Luck_ songs? Dammit, don't tell me Takagi reassigned everything again!" 

"Gah—Ruka—calm down!" Juni cried as he struggled to break free from the older man's grasp. Ruka let go with a laugh and Juni stumbled away. The pink-haired boy snarled at Ruka before straightening his hair. "You freak, I'd kill Takagi myself if he did that _again_!—"

"Eh, I'd rather you not do that." Yukito cut in, walking closer to them, with a grin. "So, I have a feeling you're here for a reason, ne, _Shu-chan_, so what's that?" 

"_Yuki_!" Juni launched himself towards Yukito only to crash into Ruka who stepped into the way before he could successfully perform a tackle-glomp on the brunette.

"Nah-uh, you're not glomping _chibi_. Not when I'm around, pervert." 

"Ack! Ruka!" Juni stepped away from the wall Ruka had made out of his own body between Yukito and him and stuck a tongue out. "Jerk – anyway, guess what?"

Takumi shook his head and folded an arm across his chest, quietly chuckling, "What, Juni-kun?" As for dramatic impact, Juni just stood there grinning at them not-so-innocently, both of his hands on his back, and waited until they had an eyebrow arched.

"Uh… _Shu-chan_… _Just what_?" Yukito blinked when Juni's grin only widened. He tilted his head up and opened his mouth to speak, meanwhile the three of them waited earnestly.

"_Nittle Grasper_ is going to perform on the Fes!" Juni blurted out and watched amusedly when Yukito's mouth opened. Before anyone could say anything though, he continued without missing a beat, "But!….. Under two conditions!" He held up two fingers and furrowed his eyebrows.

"One: We Yuki and me perform _Shining Collection_ on the 25th! And Two—" He turned to Yukito and, ignoring Ruka, grabbed him by the wrist. "And Two—Yuki-chan does something for Ryuichi-sama!"

"What?!" Ruka cried in disbelief, pushing Juni away from Yukito who was staring, wide-eyed, at Juni. "And they agreed?"

Juni nodded enthusiastically, "Of course they agreed!" He turned to Takumi, smiling brightly, "That's why I'm here… Sakuma-san didn't say what he wanted Yuki to do… but… he's gonna tell you, so I'm here to get Yuki!"

"That's a bit harsh…" Takumi remarked quietly and Ruka slapped a hand over his forehead before muttering out loud, "Did they _even_ give it a second thought? At all?"

"Ah… eh—"  Yukito opened his mouth to say something but closed it again. 

"I'm sure it's not gonna be much—" Juni cut in, stepping in between the three of them. "I swear, Sakuma-san said it himself!" He reassured them. "It's worth finding out…. For sure! Come on… Yukiii…"

Yukito gave Ruka and Takumi a look before sighing in resignation and nodding with a smile. "I guess, I mean… if it's too mu—" He was suddenly reminded of the lyrics and the man's words at the thought of it. Immediately, he cut himself off, "Wait, nothing's too much for me! I'll do it! Whatever it is…."

"Yesss!" The pink-haired teen did an arm-pump with his right arm before finally launching himself towards Yukito to give him a hug. When he pulled away, he looked into Yukito's eyes and asked quietly, "Oh… and are you performing tonight? It's Tuesday. _Cyclone Check_ and _Night_, right? Are you going to perform that new song too?"

"I gue—" 

"Yes, we're performing tonight, as usual, _Shu-chan_." Takumi answered for Yukito. The brunette craned his head to give Takumi a worried and questioning look which the raven-haired vocalist acknowledged with a gracious smile and nod which said _'I'm fine_'."And yes, we're performing that song… unless Yukito doesn't want t—"

"Of course I'd want to, Takumi!" Yukito said, nodding vigorously before turning to the redhead beside him. "You're fine with that too, right, Ruka?"

"'_Course, _chibi." Ruka said, smiling down at him before throwing Juni, who was smiling at him innocenly, a glare. "I'd _reallly_ hate to see you rubbing off on _chibi_. I _mean_ it."

Yukito laughed. "It's all set then! I bet Juni can't wait to hear our latest song completely…. I can't wait too!" 

And quietly, he made a note to call Tohma to announce his latest breakthrough. He had no intention of telling him what brought the sudden inspiration about though and the man who had so rudely insulted his _life_. Deep down, however, he couldn't help but wonder what had happened to the man after he drove him to that hotel.

_'Probably puking his guts out…. hopefully.'_ He thought grimly as Juni took his hand in his and began dragging him out of the classroom.

---

"So, you're telling me there's a chance that Shuichi's still alive?" Kyoko blurted out suddenly in the middle of Hiro's explanation. Hiro blinked at her for a few seconds before nodding slowly and continuing slowly. "Just a small chance," Hiro said quietly, looking away from the young woman whose face was only inches away from his, "K told us about the gun used. He said they _probably_ used tranq darts on Shuichi to knock him off for a few hours and their intention might not have been to kill Shuichi off in the first place…"

"…And they probably staged the car crash too, made it seem like he died when… he's somewhere." Kyoko finished in soft whisper, cupping her chin as she stepped back from Hiro and sat herself on the foldable chair she'd placed in front of the sofa, where the _Nittle Grasper _guitarist sat with Melissa Rage. 

"But—" Rage trailed away and waited for whatever else Hiro was telling them. Hiro's youthful face creased into a frown as he spoke.

"But, the question is, _if_ the crash was just a cover for it all, like we all assume… Where's Shuichi been all this time if he _is_ still alive? It's nearing two years and there's been nothing…." He breathed in sharply and leaned back on the sofa, folding his arms over his head before continuing, "So… Shuichi is as good as dead… unless by some miracle we find him. Wherever he is—"

"Wherever Tohma sent him, you mean?" Kyoko corrected him with a smile and stood from her seat before leaning forward and looming over Hiro and Rage, her hands on her hips. 

"You're really think it's Seguchi Tohma, don't you, Kyoko?" Hiro questioned with a slightly intimidated look and the black-haired young woman smiled at him smugly.

"Well, Nakano-san, I do have proof to back my theory up. And Tohma has every reason to, to begin with." Kyoko explained before giving Rage a meaningful sideways glance. "I managed to track down the secretary working for Seguchi back then – I'm gonna meet her sometime next week or so… and…" she paused, "Interestingly, she was fired the day after _the_ concert. Suspicious, ne?"

Rage nodded, frowning slightly, "And you tracked her down in just a day?" 

"Yup! What do you think…" Kyoko grinned and continued in a drawl, "…Nakano-san?"

"I still think…" Hiro began, giving Kyoko an apologetic smile before turning serious once more, "… I have my own suspects….." He trailed away, mind wandering off to a certain Aizawa Taki and his cronies, his blood beginning to boil at the mere thought of the possibility that the ASK vocalist was behind it all. But he didn't want to tell them that because he knew they would ask why and he didn't want to talk bad about Shuichi any more. He finished his statement abruptly with a tone he hoped would put them off enough, "I seriously think it's someone I know behind this." 

"_Well, wanna bet_?" Kyoko said in English with a laugh before leaning forward and placing a finger on her lips seductively. "I still think it's Seguchi Tohma, period. I _know_ I can find a few who would agree with me, no questions asked…."

"And I can find mine." Hiro answered back to get even. 

Kyoko smiled wider, her eyes narrowing into slits. She wasn't about to lose to Nakano Hiroshi but she respected his beliefs. She knew she was right though; she had looked into the possibilities and known and heard enough about Seguchi Tohma to be sure that it _was_ him behind all this. Everything just clicked into place, though she was a bit curious about who Hiroshi suspected. He seemed sure himself and there was something underneath the suspicion Hiro held for whoever it was that bugged Kyoko. He had to have a good reason. He just _had_ to. 

She opened her mouth, determined to get a reason or two from the _Nittle Grasper_ guitarist when the door behind her flew open and an unfamiliar, and yet familiar, voice filled through the room.

"I'm here – Ah... um… Sakuma-san, you wanted to see me?" that voice made Kyoko spin around and her mouth opened in a round 'oh' when she saw the brown-haired young man addressing the great Sakuma Ryuichi at the door. The inquiry she had for Hiro forgotten, she walked up to the young man and was surprised when the words just tumbled out of her mouth on their own accord.

"So you must be Fujiwara Yukito, ne?" When the brunette turned to her with the cutest smile she had ever seen, not only because of the fact that he had a face that _strongly_ reminded her of Shindou Shuichi but because it _was_, she was glad something within her had listened to Ryuichi's babbling earlier. She certainly _she_ wasn't listening _that_ attentively to pick up something as… minor, then, as this boy's name.

The brunette gave her a low bow and then nodded. "Yeah, I am…" He said a bit nervously, a hint of a blush staining his tanned cheeks, making her _want_ to squeal in delight right then. She grinned at him before giving him a friendly slap on the back, "Work hard, _Yuki-chan_ – I'm sure you'll do whatever it takes to do whatever Sakuma-san asks, _right_?"

By that time Ryuichi had walked up to them and was quiet watching them innocently with a cat-like grin on his lips. Yukito let out a brief nervous laugh before running a hand through his dyed brown hair and nodding. He gave a weak '_Hai'_ before turning to Ryuichi finally. 

Kyoko watched as the _Grasper_ vocalist led the brown-haired youth outside the room and wondered just how old the boy was. As she made her way back to where Hiro and Rage sat, she made a mental note to check out the bookstores nearby, with Fujiwara Yukito being as cute as he was, he was _bound_ to be in a "bishie-album" or two issued by the school. 

"_So, where were we? Where's K anyway? I wanna ask him about things…._" 

---

Juni was frowning unhappily as he trailed behind Yukito and Kyoko, not liking the proximity between the black-haired girl and Yukito one bit. It so happened that after catching up on Yukito and Ryuichi conversing, and then joining them and re-entering the office with them, the girl just somehow _latched _herself, not quite literally, onto Yukito, like a piece of metal drawn to magnet. It irritated him. The worst was that, somehow, the Kyoko girl had managed to convince Yukito to touring her, and her redhead friend, around _their _school. Right now, they were just about finishing up, with Yukito touring Rage and Kyoko at the concert site. 

"Jealous now, aren't you, _Juni-kun?_" Ruka whispered with a tiny laugh after elbowing him. The pink-haired teen shot the redhead who had somehow appeared beside him a venomous glare before rolling his eyes and blinking away, fixing his gaze on the pair in front of them.

"Of someone?" Ruka whispered with a tiny laugh before elbowing him again. 

"Of Yuki? _No way_." Juni muttered and Ruka laughed.

"I meant of the girl, Juni. Kyoko, was it?" 

"Yeah, Kyoko. But it's still no." Juni mumbled darkly. Yukito, as always, was clueless. How he stayed faithful to his fiancée with all the girls, and boys, chasing after him and at the same time acting so clueless to anything romantically involved with him was a mystery to Juni. But it was delightful mystery.

"I feel sorry for you…." Ruka said solemnly and Juni would have believed his sincerity had he not broken into a fit of chuckling, "I'm so proud of _chibi_! Hah…"

"Shut u—" Juni caught a glimpse of something black on the stage in front of them. "Hey, Ruka… today's Tuesday right? Band Night…."

"Eh?"

"…You're playing tonight at the club and… Isn't ASK scheduled for practice today?" Juni glanced up before coming to a stop.

Takumi, who had by then caught up with them, stopped right beside Juni. "Why, what's wrong?"

"Nothing. Just curious." Juni paused and then laughed, "It's funny, every time Yukito tours someone, ASK's around. Neat coincidence, no?"****

---

Aizawa Taki stopped singing, his hands still on the mic when he noticed the brunette in the distance.  He recognized him to be the boy from yesterday, the one who looked like Shindou Shuichi and whose charms seemed to have won their Manager's favor. His lips disappeared into a thin line and for a few long moments he stared at the boy bitterly, watching him carefully in deep thought.

It wasn't until Ken asked him what was wrong that he snapped out of those deep thoughts. He apologized to Makkun for the stall and then gave them the signal to start over again. He managed to calm himself down considerably as he concentrated on the song Makkun and Ken were playing but when he saw their Manager, Nanae Kasumi, running up towards the group, visibly joyed, his eyebrows furrowed.

He pushed back the negative thoughts to the back of her mind and willed himself to concentrate on rehearsing for the Fes, but that didn't lessen the fact that he didn't like it.

---

"Ahh…Nanae-san, thanks for helping around with the tour and all—" Kyoko bowed and smiled at the Japanese beauty before her, humbled by the sheer grace the woman had displayed.

"It's a pleasure, Fukuyama-san." Nanae said with a smile before turning to Yukito and bowing at her. "And, Fujiwara-san," She began with a slightly amused laugh, "You're an exceptional tour guide!"

Yukito blushed immediately at the complimented directed at him and Juni elbowed him with a mischievous grin. "You just get the prettiest people to compliment you, ne, ne, Yuki?"

"Ah… it was… um…" Yukito bowed down lowly when he couldn't find the right words.  "Thank you." He said simply and smiled back at Nanae who let out a quiet laugh.

"Well, I've got to be going now… my band must be looking for me everywhere….." she trailed away and placed a hand on her cheek, "I worry them too much… I'll be seeing you all." Nanae gave them a low bow and began walking away to the general direction of the main stage when Kyoko, who had been deep in thought, suddenly burst out in a cry.

"My bag! I think I left it on that speaker backstage! _Stupid Me_! I'll be right back, Yukito, Ruka, Takumi…. Juni…" 

"Backstage?" Nanae inquired, spinning back around and arching an eyebrow. "Fujiwara-san took Fukuyama-san backstage?" 

Yukito turned to her with a sheepish smile, "Yeah, she insisted… we were really fast though, just gave her a brief description of the place then lef—"

Ruka laughed and Takumi was shaking his head. "We aren't supposed to "frequent" there, except Takumi here." Ruka explained, jerking a thumb towards the raven-haired teen. "He's kinda in charge of this things—"

"My bag—okay… I'm leaving…. _Be right back!_" Kyoko said hurriedly, already jogging in place. Nanae stopped her just in time.

"Ah, Fukuyama-san, careful, okay? The man told me it was still dangerous there…" Nanae warned, before bowing at them once more and then walking away for real. Kyoko didn't bother to do anything to confirm that and instead began jogging away from them in a hurry. 

Takumi frowned slightly and turned to Ruka before breaking into a smile, "I'll be waiting for you at the car." 

Ruka nodded while Yukito called out, grinning. "Oh! Check on Rage-san for me, Takumi? I hope we didn't bore her… _much_!"

"I will!" Takumi called back, stopping just enough to answer Yukito's call.

---

Kyoko squinted in the darkness, trying to make out the various shapes in the room as she groped for the switch on the wall beside her. Quietly, she hoped she could spot her handbag sooner; it was red and sure to stand out in the darkness like this.

When she couldn't make the other lights work, for some reason, she grudgingly began her search in the now-dimly lit room. It was a lot larger than she thought it would be when Yukito first showed her the place and now she wished she had pestered the brunette harder to touring her deeper into the place. 

She went deeper into the room, noticing more and more how the light from the only overhead light she'd managed to switch on was rapidly becoming insufficient in her search for her handbag. She didn't even think she'd been in that part of the room before and yet, why couldn't she find her bag?

Grumbling about weird ghosts stealing her things while she wasn't watching just for the fun of it, she trudged deeper into the room and was overjoyed when she spotted something red in the immediate area.

"Aha! Found yo—Ow!" She let out a sharp cry when her foot got tangled into something. She heard something snap overhead and tilted her head up to view its source.

There was a loud sound of metal and wood crashing towards the floor with a sickening crash.

---

And now, response to the **wonderful, wonderful, awesome** reviewers from both Fanfiction.NET and Gurabiteshiyon.NET! … I admit, I like this part… lots. So drop reviews? ^_^ (I'm bad, aren't I?): 

The Phantoms – *grins at CrimsonP and DarkP* Not saying :-P lol! But that's a good one. I think you're ganging up on Boogie-chan though… um… I can't say! *hides behind table* We'll.. um… see..? Depending on what muses think…

Pato San – That idea was my muses' idea. When I sat down and wrote, I just suddenly realized I wanted that in... since I couldn't get the original idea right. And it just flowed! XD Glad you liked though…. I still think you and Bunny-chan are better : 3  Can't wait to see Chapter 10 of **War of Hearts**! XD Hatori! Hatori! When we're done, maybe we'll see Hatori and Yukito together… lol. The Yuki-look-a-like and the Shuichi-look-a-like. Crossover, anyone? :-p

dark-kagome2 – lol! I'm scared now! But…. Yes, the last part _is _Shuichi : 3 I hope you liked that part. It complicates things more now, ne? And… I actually am working on another fic right now… *whistles* *hides* 

rulerofthecows – I do that too when I read fanfics, laugh creepily, I mean. XD lol, I'd like to do that, except I think Freesia and Ai would have me shot first! O_o. But yeah, making Yukito Shu is sort of… tough now. Or maybe not. The last part isn't clear on whether it's a flashback or… present day, ne? : 3 We _will_ find out Ryuichi's plan next chapter…. Muses wanted to keep it from readers first. XD Evil muses..

Bisexual Pygmy – Yes, plot thickens. XD Btw, I love your Omi. : 3 

Animegirl9 – Yeah, I was reading **The Opposite of Gravity** finally after days and days of procrastination and when I read it, it just hit me I want to write evil, sinister Taki.... XD  I'm gonna read Chapter 10 of yours after I upload this! Mwahah! I've been starving myself of much-needed Gravi fanfics.. But anyway! I hope you liked this! *glomps* It has Taki! Taki! XD 

Lara –  *glomps* Glad you love it :-D Here's update! XD Finally!

Dearest – The last part was… depends on what you think it is. It _is_ about Shuichi though.  You just don't know when it is….

Sozoku – I like being bothered about _Yuki_ – so you didn't bother me :-D! Yeah! Exciting... XD I'm flattered… 

baybhie – You reviewed! *pouts* Where's **Phone Call** 11? Lol. Anyway, probably that just might be Ryuichi's plan... or not. We'll find out! :-O Um... I work hard to make it interesting and hope every time I finish a chapter that it _is_? XD

Joan Mistress of Magic – Soon… Soon… Yukito will find out! Next chapter, hopefully then things will get a bit more... complicated? The last segment is Shuichi's, btw : 3

Star-chan – I hope not _too_ confusing! Or in a bad way! XD You read through all 12 chapters? *dies* Thanks… I'm uber flattered now! XD Um…. *about the YukitoShu part*  :-O _ 

Bunny-chan – *glomps* Yes.. "O_O" XD I just love Shuichi too much to kill him, neee? XD

fangel – I know, I'm so mean to Yuki. I made him so miserable on V-day… bad me. And Yukito's mean to Yuki because Yuki was first mean to him... XD Unlike Shuichi, Yukito doesn't like being told mean things like that and he doesn't hesitate to fight back… XD

Nyoko – I'm glad you liked the Yukito/Eiri part! I was uber worried about that! I wanted to get it right and was seriously, seriously hoping I got it right! I hope you like this chapter! And the last part does have Shuichi so you're right :-D Though when that part is… is a mystery :-D

unknown  -- Comparison with Yuki is much appreciated. *dies* I'm not so great… yet…. XD Hope you like this chapter….XD

And time to close this thing! First off, I _am_ working on another fic! It's original though and on Fictionpress.net. **Fallen Angels** – (http : //www . fictionpress e of Gravity, Je Suis Desole and **Mother, May I?** Right now! Wonderful stories. Check them out sometime :-D XD ****

^_^


	14. Phone Call

Disclaimer: Gravitation does not belong to me. Ne, I doubt Gravitation would be as good if I owned it anyway. I'm not making any money out of this either and am just borrowing its characters….

A/N: So, after a whole month's wait, I'm back with fourteen… I'm so sorry for the _loooong_ wait! I thank you for all those who review – I had **_so_** much reviews last chapter! – and for all those who waited for this installment! I had exams and stuff come up in between this and thirteen so… it was… delayed. So.. **SORRY** again! I'm not so sure if this is any good, but I hope you all like it! XD It has some hints…. *coughs* I'd like to take my time to thank **Pato San** and **Bunny-chan** for letting me bug them endlessly! Without the great **Pato San**-sama I probably wouldn't have this up right now… you guys would probably have to wait for another week so go thank her! And um.. **Bunny-chan** for being an awesome awesome person : 3. I'll find a way to get some Taki parts soon... hoho. **Big thanks** to all those who reviewed again! I hope this isn't _too_ long and _too _boring too XD! And, finally, the muses have come to a conclusion – _someone_ **will die** by the end of this fic and so to appease said muses, I would like to ask everyone to review and participate in this tiny poll: (**please?**) a.) Who do you think **will** die? b.) Who do you think **should** die? And c.) Who do you think **shouldn't** die?

Results will be out next chapter – I just felt like asking… Lol. And Shuichi is _not_ an option : 3

Sketches: http : // www . angelfire . com /games4/white_crescent/juni-lub.jpg – Juni with the "Yukito is Mine!" shirt….. 

http : // www . angelfire . com /games4/white_crescent/yuki-taku-setsunachibi.jpg – the SD reaction to pic above ^_^;

http : // www . angelfire . com /games4/white_crescent/luv-triangle.jpg – Love Triangle *I'm a bad scanner….*

http : // www . angelfire . com /games4/white_crescent/ai-freesia_sketch.jpg – Finally; Anne and Freesia.

As usual, it's still **unedited**, but enjoy! XD (I really need a beta reader… don't I?)

Fourteen: Phone Call

In a quarter of a second, Kyoko found herself torn between crouching down to the floor and covering her head with her hands in a feeble attempt of protecting the most vital part of her body from whatever was to come and then leaping away.  The milliseconds that passed felt like minutes as she stood grounded to the floor and when she did manage to leap away at the last moment she was given the privilege of seeing what could have killed her the second it landed on her in the form of an ominous black and gray blur. The loud crash that rang in her ears was ignored as she lost her footing and stumbled backwards, eyes fixed on the pile of wood and, what looked to be, construction materials in front of her. Her breathing came in long, hard gasps and she curled up, burying her head in the space between her drawn up knees and her chest as she went through what had just happened and forced herself to calm down.

_She had tripped on something. There had been a snap. Things fell down and there was a loud crash. _

She opened her eyes and stared hard at the darkness, frowning and knitting her eyebrows as she tried to connect the other facts. 

_The lights wouldn't work – No matter how much she flipped the switches, the lights just wouldn't work and her bag wasn't where she _couldhave_ left it. _

She lifted her head from the cleft between her knees and her chest and stared ahead of her, her eyes moving back and forth as she pieced the clues together in her mind, making it seem like she was visualizing the huge puzzle in front of her. Quietly, she fought to keep the fear and panic that threatened to overwhelm her any moment at bay as she read through the clues given to her. Why wouldn't the lights work? Why would her bag be somewhere she'd never even been? Why would something fall down on top of her? _She almost died_.

She blinked; the final piece clicking into the puzzle finally. She swallowed hard, her throat constricting almost painfully as she did so, and then opened her mouth in silent disbelief as she said the words in her mind.

_'Somebody wants me dead.'_

Shaking, she lifted a pale and clammy hand to her mouth and was vaguely aware of the heat that she felt from her flushed face. "_My God_…." she whispered quietly, hoarsely, as she continued to stare at the ominous pile before her, the knowledge of how she could have been underneath that pile, dead or worse – _dying –_  , making her want to vomit. 

She didn't know how long she stayed there until a beam of light crossed her vision, making her squint instinctively. It felt like forever and with those four words her mind had painstakingly put together to deliver her situation playing in her mind over and over again, she wondered just how bad afterlife was. And to think, if she had stayed there a second longer she would have been cruelly hurled into oblivion in a matter of seconds….

"Juni, She's here…." A voice said softly, cutting through the thick silence Kyoko thought she would forever be enveloped in. Quiet footsteps sounded behind her, becoming louder as they came closer. There was another set of footsteps, one that trailed the first set of footsteps shortly and that told Kyoko it was not just one person who found her, but two.  "I'm glad you're okay, Kyoko-san…" 

She tilted her head up to direction of the voice and was flooded with undeniable relief when she recognized the blue-eyed brunette standing behind her, a floodlight in one hand. He crouched down to her level and placed a hand over her right shoulder. Through the light from the floodlight he was holding, she saw the calm, reassuring smile on his lips and was inwardly glad out of all the people who could have seen her like this it was him. Granted, he wasn't entirely alone but she was thankful enough for it. 

Breathing sharply, she turned and wrapped her arms about the Yukito's neck, holding onto him as tightly as she could, wanting to draw from that calm that seemed to suddenly radiate from him. And she needed that, so badly, needed that strength that fled her the moment she was shown a brief peek of death. 

"I….was so afraid…" Kyoko breathed as she buried her face into the nook of the slightly shorter brunette's neck, the knowledge of the presence of another person with them pushed to the back of her mind. Right now she didn't care if she was making a fool of herself, she needed this. "So… afraid…" She said again and this time she made no effort to stop the hot tears that rolled down her flushed cheeks and dampened Yukito's shirt. 

"It's alright… you're safe, Kyoko-san…" Yukito whispered reassuringly, running a hand gently up and down her head to sooth and calm her. He waited patiently, repeating his words in response to her soft whispers until she was comforted enough and became quiet before turning his attention from her to the pile of junk before them. He pointed the floodlight he carried within his right hand towards it and noticed the odd metal poles sticking from it, the mass of broken and splintered wood amongst it, and the few uninstalled, now-crushed stage lights within the mess. What had almost fallen on top of Kyoko, as it looked now, had to be one of the temporary platforms all over the place, the ones the construction workers had installed days ago to add the finishing touches to the back stage's lighting and expansive network of hanging pathways. 

His eyebrows furrowed, wondering how this platform could have fallen when the cables keeping the temporary platforms in place were proven to be both secured and strategically placed, according to Takumi. But, the question was whether he had taken Kyoko to this part, or not. He was sure he hadn't but….did he, really? He…

"Ahem."

The previous mental query to himself briefly forgotten, Yukito snapped his head to Juni's direction with an "Eh" and a matching look of disoriented confusion. There was a delicate frown on his pink-haired classmate, one whose reason he did not realize until moments later when he remembered the woman in her arms.  

A blush rose up to his cheeks as he looked away from Juni and turned to Kyoko, ashamedly. 

A small smile crept up to the pink-haired boy's lips, impish mixed in with something else, "Aren't you glad Ruka isn't here to see this…?" 

Before Yukito could say anything, a voice cut them off, "Too late Juni, I already have—" Ruka's unmistakable voice said with a laugh that prompted Juni and him to snap their heads to where his voice had come from. Moments later, there was a flicker and soon the whole back stage was filled with light that was not as bright as the lights they had originally installed but enough for everyone to see each other clearly. Yukito suspected it was the emergency lights installed all over the place and Takumi confirmed for him.

"Those are the emergency lights just now – I was worried they would decide not to work too… " He walked up to them, appearing from behind Ruka, whom they realized moments after the emergency lights were turned on, was just standing a several feet away behind Juni. Rage trailed behind him, quiet and defiant. There was something about the impassiveness on her face that told Yukito there was something going around Kyoko that they knew absolutely nothing about.

"_Kyoko, are you alright?_" Rage spoke in English and the black-haired young woman looked up from Yukito's shoulder before nodding slowly and replying in the same manner.

"_I'm fine now—" _She shook her head then and broke away from Yukito, moving a hand up to wipe the trail her tears had left on her face away. "_Yukito… was really good." _ She managed a smile, briefly turning the object of her statement before turning back to the redhead. Yukito, who understood fully what she had said, blushed even more. 

"Yuki—" Takumi said suddenly, placing a hand over his shoulder. "Tell them I'll look into it.  It's probably just an accident…."

That seemed to have caught Rage's attention. At the edge of Yukito's eyesight, he saw the redhead XMR Manager tilting her head up momentarily at Takumi's words. 

"An accident?" Yukito arched an eyebrow, "Why—what?"

Takumi answered before he even finished his question, "Rage thinks it was probably an attempt on Kyoko-san's life. I'll tell you about it later – for now, get them to the lounge… I'll be back later." The raven-haired vocalist then turned to the remaining two, "Juni, Ruka – I need you to call Takagi-sensei for me, okay?"  

Ruka nodded, grinning before signaling for the pink-haired vocalist to follow him. There was something about the way Juni had looked so disappointed before quietly following Ruka that troubled Yukito, but he shrugged it off and then turned to the XMR Manager and University Student beside him, renewing his smile as he did so.

When they were finally outside and headed for the building beside the concert stage, ASK was still onstage practicing and  it made Yukito wonder just how loud the crash had been. The crash had been loud enough to alarm Takumi and Rage who were both at the parking area a good distance away from the concert site, surely they had heard it at the stage, especially since it was right in front of where the crash had occurred. It just unsettled him how the group could continue so smoothly even after what he knew had just happened. They couldn't possibly know nothing about what had just occurred. 

He stopped briefly to watch the band and moments later he found himself staring at the dark-haired man in front of the microphone, ASK's lead vocalist; Aizawa Taki. For a brief, fleeting moment he felt as if those dark eyes had fallen on him, remaining fixed on his prone figure for a while before turning away and looking ahead as their owner poured all of his concentration on making music, on singing. He knew that was just impossible, why would he catch the ASK vocalist's attention in the first place anyway? 

But he couldn't shake off the way he _thought_ those eyes had been on him and the unsettling chill that had run down his spine. Cold – Taki's eyes were cold. It troubled Yukito but, just as did with the almost alien expression he had seen on Juni's face earlier, he shrugged it off, deeming it a useless product of paranoia. 

---

"I seriously hope it was an accident – it's just… too horrible to happen to someone like her. Why would someone want her dead anyway?"

Yukito, who was leaning on a vending machine, folded his arms across his chest, furrowing his eyebrows. He turned to his left, watching Nanae Kasumi as she tried to choose from the selection of beverages available from another vending machine in front of her. She turned to him briefly, soft brown eyes knowing and gentle.

"Things like that happen, Fujiwara-san." She paused, bending down to collect the drinks she had purchased as they came. When she continued, she kept her eyes fixed on the vending machine in front of her.  "The world as it is today and has always been is unpredictable. We just have to go with the flow…." The ASK manager turned to him then, extending a drink towards him. 

"Have some." She said quietly and the brunette keyboardist accepted the drink in one hand.

"Mmmm… Coffee." He said out loud as he looked over the can before finally turning to the ASK manager with a grateful smile, "Thanks, Nanae-san."

Nanae bowed her head with a soft laugh and the action reminded Yukito strongly of the girls some traditional restaurants back at Kyoto usually had. The Mizuki family had a traditional Japanese mansion in Kyoto and whenever both of them had the time, Ai and him would go to the place and spend a week or two together. It had always been something to look forward to, especially ever since they got back from America, but lately Ai's busy schedule provided little time for the two of them. 

He sighed at the thought of it and popped the can in his hand open before taking a drink from it. Unconsciously, he pushed the tinted-glasses on the bridge of his nose up and this simple action caught the ASK Manager's attention.

"My brother—" Yukito caught her saying and he snapped his head towards her direction, curious. Nanae smiled as she continued, "My brother had the same glasses." 

"Really?" Yukito asked, blinking, and Nanae nodded. "Ne, I don't even remember where I bought these…." He said, touching the rim of his glasses with his fingers.

"I remember," Nanae laughed before continuing, "because he always wore it with him anywhere, whenever he could – he was pretty obsessed with it…." At the she paused and took a step forward, placing her hands on her hips. "And I think you are too; everyone I meet in the music industry with those kind of glasses tend to be rather obsessed with them, I find, Fujiwara-san."

It was Yukito's turn to laugh and he leaned back on the vending machine, a hand crossed over his chest. "How'd you know, Nanae-san?" He turned to the raven-haired woman, grinning, "But I'm not that bad… yet. Ne, my friends have complained about it…." 

His grin turned into a wistful smile, "….Especially Juni – even though I have _no_ idea why." 

"I may know." Nanae said enigmatically as she turned to the vending machine to buy another drink, "It's not so hard to notice, Fujiwara-san." The woman continued and Yukito looked back at her confusedly.

"Eh? What do yo—" Yukito managed to say before being cut off by the terribly synthesized sound of ASK's "As the Knife" coming from Nanae's person. Yukito suspected it was the ASK Manager's mobile phone making the sound. He grinned inwardly when he was proved right moments later when the black-haired woman produced her Nokia mobile phone from her coat. She smiled apologetically at him and bowed her head before accepting the call and placing the phone to her ear.

"Hello?" Nanae's voice was soft and calm and Yukito watched her quietly as she listened patiently to the person on the other end. The woman's luscious lips curved into a soft smile which, a few moments later, turned into an amused grin. 

"Don't worry, I'll handle it." Nanae told the person on the other end calmly before laughing softly, "

I'll let them go ahead then…." 

Yukito arched an eyebrow, reminded suddenly of how Freesia would act when on the phone herself. He mentally slapped himself on the forehead, realizing he was missing his "family" too much. And it had only been, _what_, two days – today being the second day of his temporary solitude? 

"Fujiwara-san?"

He blinked at Nanae who had, by then, put away his mobile phone. The woman was watching him quietly, soft brown eyes fixed on him innocently and he immediately felt like he was blushing, even though he wasn't so sure if he _was_, under the woman's gaze.

"Y-yes, Nanae-san?" He stammered momentarily and the black-haired ASK Manager smiled at him. 

"Do you think you can drive me back to the  eS-Na Main Building? ASK has an interview they can't miss at three thirty and they have to be at the studio by two forty-five…" Nanae trailed away and pulled her watch out – it read two ten – before heaving a soft sigh. "…So, in short, they have to leave now and… I intend on staying and helping Fukuyama-san as much as I can…." 

Blue eyes regarded the woman with understanding and before Nanae could say anything more, Yukito had walked up to her and placed a hand on her shoulder. "I'll drive you; just give me the directions… I'm driving Kyoko-san to her Uni later today too anyway before I go back to Campus One to collect my reviewers and all that."

Nanae smiled in silent 'thank you' and when Yukito moved away from her, she called to him before bowing down lowly.

"Thank You, Fujiwara-san." 

He smiled back and waved back at her in acknowledgement with the half-empty coffee can in hand to show how it was "fair trade".

---

The security guard who had, only moments ago, so vehemently told him he could not continue anymore stepped away at one withering glance from his cold amber eyes and he smirked inwardly as he walked pass the older man quietly. The sounds his leather shoes made on the cold cement floor echoed ominously across the long, dimly lit hall and behind him, he could hear the security guard informing their boss about his surprise visit. 

Seguchi Tohma did not smile inwardly at the display of what he could do to people, instead he wore a mask of deadly calm until he came to Ohya's office and then, he smiled. The door opened for him before he even had a chance to lift a hand to do so himself and he was not surprised to see a pale-faced Ohya just beside the door.

"Good Afternoon, Ohya-san," He began politely and the older man swallowed hard, brazing himself for what was to come, "The guards outside told me you were busy – but I'm sure you can spare a few minutes for me."

He stepped into the room and Ohya made way for him, keeping a safe distance between him and the NG President as if a closer proximity would burn him. The blonde NG President swept his eyes across the sparsely decorated office before seating himself on one of the leather sofas beside the man's desk.

"I will be straight, Ohya-san." Tohma said quietly in a low voice, "I don't know how the videotape got into _someone else_'s hands when I had explicitly ordered for you to dispose of it….." He looked up and glowered at Ohya who remained standing beside the open door worriedly.

Tohma looked away, "…And I'm… disappointed, Ohya-san. Very much so."

The older man gulped before hurrying towards the younger, blonde man and beginning to reason.

"I… I… I didn't… I… I didn't think it was that impor— and when _she_ came… I... I had no cho—"

"That's enough…" Tohma said quietly, cutting him off effectively as he rose from his seat. "…Ohya-san." He moved to straighten the creases that had formed on his clothes and then he looked up, smiling calmly.

"That is the only reason I came here, actually." The NG President told him quietly, ignoring the beads of sweat rolling down the older man's aging face. "I'll deal with you later, for now I have more pressing matters that need my attention."

He brushed past the older man, his eyes reflecting the cold indifference his smile betrayed and headed for the door. He stopped at the doorframe and looked over his shoulder, never one to forget his manners.

"Good Day, Ohya-san." He said quietly before continuing to walk away in long strides. 

Ohya stared at the door for the longest time before walking slowly towards his desk and sinking into his chair. After a few long moments of deep thinking, he opened his eyes and let them rest on the phone sitting almost seductively on his desk. 

He stared.

---

"—_It all depends on whether it was an accident—"_

****

Yukito stopped in his tracks, managing to overhear on what he assumed to be a conversation between Rage – he recognized her voice – and Kyoko. He figured neither Ruka and Juni were back yet since, if they were, then Rage wouldn't be talking like that. There was a certain tinge of serious in the redhead's voice that stirred Yukito's curiosity very much. Beside him, Nanae stood in silence, aware of the conversation going but visibly lost as to why such a conversation was taking place.

_"It was _not_ an accident—I don't freaking remember leaving my bag there – I don't even _know_ why it was there—"_

****

Frowning slightly, Yukito stepped into the lounge and by the time they had their eyes on him he had successfully pulled off a relatively innocent face. He was sure they knew he heard a snippet of their conversation and perhaps they knew about the curiosity it had stirred in him but he knew they would not tell him so he refused to ask them about it. Nanae followed after him and Rage, who had been kneeling down before Kyoko, stood up to acknowledge their return.

"Sorry for taking so long—" Yukito apologized before turning to Rage, "Ne, are you sure you don't want a drink? I could go back and ge—"

"_No_," Rage answered quickly, smiling. "I was just about to leave actually. As much as I want to stay I have a meeting at three." The redhead ran a hand through her hair and then turned to Kyoko, who was still seated on the biggest plush leather sofa in the lounge.

"_I'll see you later, Kyoko. Maybe I'll call you to see what I can find."_  Rage told Kyoko in English before turning to Yukito, "Take care of her, Yukito-_kun_." The American said and there was something… mysterious… about the way she said her words that had Yukito arching an eyebrow. First it was Nanae, now it was Rage…

"So – did they find out…" Kyoko's voice snapped him out of his thoughts and he looked down to find the older, black-haired young woman watching him very closely, much too close for comfort. Her voice dipped, "… if it was an accident… or not?" 

"N…no. Not yet." Yukito answered slowly, "I'm actually waiting for Juni…. Him and Ruka were supposed to get Takagi-sensei to look into it." 

"Mmm…I... I see."

"Sorry." Yukito said suddenly, earning him a look of confusion from Kyoko. He immediately backed his pervious statement before Kyoko could say anything more, "I mean… for not knowing and… " He paused and ran a hand through his dyed brown hair and looked away, fixing his blue eyes on the carpeted floor as if there was suddenly something immensely interesting written on it. He kept a wavering smile on his lips as he spoke, trying not to sound too serious or dramatic, "For taking you there… I… I wasn't really supposed to, I mean… I must have… I…"

"It wasn't accident, Yuki," Kyoko cut him off, her voice turning serious, "…And you didn't do it… so it wasn't your fault!" Kyoko finished in a lighter tone, frowning slightly.

"I guess – but… I'm sorry anyway." 

He was sure Kyoko was going to say something about that too and so he smiled. He learned from Tohma long ago that a simple smile could do wonders and when Kyoko smiled back, finally deciding not to say anything more about that, he thanked Tohma silently. 

"Oi! _Chibi_ – stop flirting with the College girl." Yukito eyes almost bulged when he heard Ruka's comment and he snapped his head towards the direction of the voice, wide-eyed. "You certainly have it for older women, eh, _chibi_?"

"R-Ruka!" He yelped as the redhead sauntered into the lounge, waving at both Nanae, whose silence almost led the brunette to forget about her presence, "I-It's not like that!"

"What? What's happening--?" Juni came stomping into the lounge afterwards. The shorter of the two newcomers shot his head from left to right before letting his eye rest on Yukito. He shot Ruka a glare before pointing at Yukito and crying, "No way! Yuki's not like you, _jerk_!"

Ruka's eyes almost immediately shot up and he feigned a look of innocence as he walked up to Yukito and hooked an arm around his shoulder, "_What_? I have _no_ idea what you're talking about, _right_, _chibi?" _ 

Yukito's mouth opened before closing abruptly. He swallowed before giving Juni a less-than-dignified look, "_So_, uh… what did Takagi-sensei say, Juni?"

Juni blinked and then, seemingly forgetting about Ruka completely, grinned, "Oh! Takagi-sensei wants to see you; he's with Takumi right now!" 

Ruka grumbled something about someone having the memory span of a goldfish before unhooking his arms from Yukito's shoulder. "That's so?"

Juni nodded and strode towards Yuki, linking his arm with the brunette, "And this time I'm coming with you!—" His eyes narrowed as he shot Ruka a glare, "—and you can too, Ruka…. Not that _I_ care _or_ it _matters_."

"Ne! Let's go, Yuki!" 

Before Ruka could say anything, Juni was pulling a waving Yukito out of the lounge and, grumbling about obsessive hormonal seventeen-year-old Bad Luck fanboys, he excused himself from Nanae and Kyoko with a low bow and ran after the brunette and pink-haired boy.

Once the three were gone, Nanae turned to Kyoko, who was staring at the corner they had disappeared into confusedly, and then smiled.

"…Do you like Coffee, Fukuyama-san?"

---

The door opened with a slight click that the deathly silence in the room magnified by a fold and the blonde resting on the bed, an arm draped over his eyes, let out a miserable groan. An eye was cracked open and a single, golden eye fixed on the tall figure standing beside the bed.

"Aniki… Aniki.. tut.. tut.. tut…" The intruder said quietly, shaking his head, in a somewhat mocking voice, "You look _miserable_."

"Spare me, Tatsuha. I don't want to hear this." Eiri grumbled, unfazed by the fact that his brother had just walked into his hotel room with a keycard, knowing it was definitely Tohma's doing. "—in fact, I don't _need_ to hear this. It's too early in th—"

Tatsuha laughed before opening his mouth and speaking in a mocking imitation of an automated announcement – the type you'd hear on TV or in a train station,  "Beeeep – The time now is two-fifteen pm." He leaned down slightly so he was not towering over his brother so much, "How long have you been sleeping, Aniki?"

"I don't need to hear this, Tatsuha, leave me alone."

The younger Uesugu's lips disappeared into a thin line and he seated himself at his brother's bedside. He was silent for a few long moments as he struggled to find the right words to say what he was about to say, and then with a sigh, he spoke. "Aniki…. I know about last night. I saw it—"

"Knowing you, you were either out with your 'honey bunny'… or in bed." The blonde novelist said quietly and Tatsuha frowned. 

"Hey, I _was_ out last night but I did see it! – they were showing it in this huge TV on the street…" Tatsuha retorted, spreading his arms to emphasize on how big the screen had been, and Eiri groaned.

"Can you _please_ keep your voice down?" The blonde hissed and Tatsuha arched an eyebrow.

"You have a hangover, Aniki?"

"_Had_, Tatsuha, _had_." Eiri corrected before moving his arm out of his eyes and glowering at his younger brother. "I don't plan on getting another headache anytime soon so I would suggest _you_ keep quiet."

"Okay, okay…" 

Eiri shifted his weight onto his side, turning away from his brother before quietly asking; "How bad is it?"

"Hmn?" Tatsuha leaned forward, thinking maybe he missed a word of what his brother had said.

"My apartment, I mean. How bad is it?"

It dawned on Tatsuha that Eiri was asking about how bad the "blockade" of people that had gathered in front of his apartment was. Wordlessly, he reached for the remote control, which he found sitting on the nightstand beside Eiri, and switched the TV on. He flipped through the channels until he found what he was looking for; an entertainment channel, which ironically had a live coverage of the situation in the award-winning novelist's apartment grounds.

"Bad." Tatsuha began, leaning back on his outstretched arms after throwing the thing haphazardly on the bed, "Very bad."

_"Right now, we're still not sure _if_ Yuki Eiri-san is out of the apartment or hiding in……."_

"Tohma says it might take up to a week before the media people stop coming to your apartment and even then, it's not likely this buzz about…" Tatsuha paused, searching for the right word before continuing, "_that_… will die out soon." 

"I'll have to stay with you two idiots again then?" Eiri questioned dryly before sitting up and reaching for the remote control. With a look of complete distaste, he switched the TV off and then folded his arms.

"Aniki! Ryu-chan isn't—" Tatsuha yelled in protest and was about to go on about how great Sakuma Ryuichi was and how idiot was _not_ the right word to use on said _God_ when he remembered his older brother's situation. He kept his mouth shut until he was sure the wrong words wouldn't slip out before correcting his older brother. "Maybe – but Tohma and Neesan think that may not be a good idea – y'know? Last time was close—"

Eiri snorted, "Only because you two can't stop making out in public."

Tatsuha rolled his eyes before grinning, "Well, we're a match made in Heaven! – what can we do?"

"Idiot." 

Eiri got up from the bed and looked down in disdain, realizing he was wearing the same thing he had been last night and he was reeking of alcohol. He turned to his brother and frowned, "You brought clothes for me, hopefully?"

"Nope – what, I'm suddenly your maid?" Tatsuha quipped before rising from the bed himself. "Actually, I got some of your clothes at the car, Yuki Eiri-sama. Didn't bother bring them up though, sorry. Didn't occur to me."

"Idiot."

"So, how does a great writer like you make money out of using nothing more than the word 'Idiot' to describe anything?" Tatsuha said, grinning, and this time it was Eiri who rolled his eyes. 

"So how about you grab that change of clothes while I take a shower?" Eiri suggested sarcastically before heading towards the bathroom. Tatsuha grinned mischievously, wondering what his brother would say to the "change of clothes" he'd brought. 

"Awesome – I was thinking of the exact same thing~!" 

"On second thought, I think I'll just go down with these clothes and put my cards to use—"  

"Aww – Aniki!"

---

_"Hello? ……We… we have a problem…. God – he came! He _came_…!_"

Ohya's voice echoed in the dark hall, the worry, the fear and the panic evident in his voice. The door was left open and the blinds on his office windows were closed, stopping any form of light from grazing the office. 

_"I don't know what to do…. I… I knew it was a bad idea – keeping the videotape…  but God, I… I don't know what to do…."_

****

The old man's irregular breathing punctuated the silence that followed and when he spoke again, there was semblance of calm in his voice. 

_"Okay… okay… but… what about it….no… no… you will? You _will_?_"

A pause and a creaking sound signified his sitting back on his chair in relief.

_"Alright…. That's all… I guess…. T-take care."_

****

There was a click and the line was cut-off.

---

And now, as usual, response to the **awesome** and **uber cool** reviewers from both Fanfiction.NET and Gurabiteshiyon.NET: (I'm getting repetitive, ne?)

Bunny-chan -- *glomps* Sure you do! Me…? Right? XD lol, I don't have Taki here… :-O XD Not much of him anyway! I'm gonna write a part of him next chapter… I hope! I hope! XD He's too... important!

Pato San – I made you wait so long for Yuki 14 too! Like Yuki 13… XD Anyway, :-P I'm glad you liked it (I made you read this first! XD) and thanks for helping me out and telling me it's okay and good for posting up now! XD XD I hope I don't take forever to post up Fifteen. A month's delay is baaad. Oh and you were right... hoho : 3 Now I can't wait for Eiri's reaction to… his change of clothes!

The Phantoms – So was this too short? Was this? XD I hope you like this chapter – oh and, DarkP…. I _like_ your theory! Lol! I can't say if you're right or not though :-P Muses will kill me if I reveal too much! See.. they're taking their sharp pointy objects out now XD *cowers* I'm flattered you think I'm a cool person too.. lol… *head bloats* I wonder though what CrimsonP's theory is.. we have Boogie-chan's and DarkP's already afterall… hee..

dark-kagome2 – By all means write a Gravi one too! XD No need to fear me... I'm not a very good writer myself… But yeah, I feel like my writing has been declining! ._. I do hope this chapter was good enough though :-O! ^_^

Bisexual Pygmy – I couldn't help XD But this one doesn't have a cliffhanger… I mean, a big bad cliffhanger…. I've been reading your KenxOmi fics btw… I need to find the time to review… XD

CJ-Chan – It almost did. O_O XD (Next time, she might not be so lucky….)

Lara – I got this idea… off a lot of things, actually. From the animes I watch and fanfics I read…. XD And then some… 

fireydragon97 – Yup, we have some Eiri stuff now… it's not much but I'm planning to continue that next chapter so.. um.. stay tuned? XD I'm glad you liked the TohmaxMika part – that was the hardest thing to write for thirteen! Xd 

Meliza Mac – : 3 Well, I'm not sure what to say! I'm glad you find my fic exceptional! I hope I can live up to your expectations though… I'm not so sure if people will like where this is going to… _ It's beginning… lol. But, Yukito _may be_ Shuichi… but he _may not be_ so… ^_^; Depending on muses…. (I always say this... *sigh*)

Blackened Silver – That's because I had spaces between certain parts, because if you leave it with the hyperlink thing, FFnet won't show it because of the tag… so… XD 

Joan Mistress of Magic – Not this chapter XD I was planning to have some Shu non-too-far-back flashback sometime soon though. It just doesn't fit now…. For now, Shuichi can only come back in… indefinable circumstances… Meaning, it might be a flashback…. Or not. : 3

Sozoku – We have my muses to blame for that XD

hopemia – Yes, Mika is evil. Lol. XD So, what do you think about Tohma now? XD

Seishirou – So how was this update, Sei-chan? XD It wasn't _that_ exciting I know… but…

Animegirl9 – I just read your latest chapter! I'm gonna review later! I luff Eiri! Your Eiri! *glomps* So, how was this chapter? Is it to your liking? Is it boring? Is it neat? XD XD I'm gonna review your fic after this…. TooG 8 was awesome….  3

Hikaru Itsuko – So does this add to the interesting factor? XD ^__^ I hope you like this chapter!

Kyouko – I'm sorry for the looong wait then! :-D  Hope you liked this chapter!

lilyleia – I loved your review! It made me feel so appreciated and the fact that you noticed all those tiny details made my heart swell while reading your review! XD I'm so touched, I don't know what to say and where to begin with! Maybe I'll just email you… hee... ^_^ Here's the next chapter then and I hope you like it just as much…! XD XD

rulerofthecows – I'll think about it – it's stuck in my brain now for sure… but, how about doing my poll first? : 3 ^__^ I'd love all those dairy products… Mmm.. Yoghurt… Ice-crea—*muses whack her head with blunt objects* Okay, okay... I'm not…. succumbing… so… easily…. *dies* Or maybe…

Aku Aiko – Thanks! XD 

Whirlwind – You're the first person to hate Yukito! I am glad… lol, the sadist in me… The blonde hair in chapter 12 was a mistake on my part, btw. Was procrastinating so much… but that's edited now! : 3 And yeah, Yukito is rather spoiled…. Hee… ^_^;  I hope this chapter was good enough….. _ I'm scared!

Yersi Fanel – Shuichi is…. He might be alive or not. (Of course people will kill me if I kill him…. But… that still doesn't eliminate possibility….) ^_^; So… um… until the end comes, bear with me? XD 

daichuu – Well, I hope this chapter made some thing clearer… and I'm glaaad you love it! XD And thanks for the compliment on my art too – I'm glad it's not so bad…. 

Aja (imaybe1) – I love "Daisies" – but anyway, I was so happy to find out you read my fic! My head…. And I am so glad you think they're finally getting somewhere because… yes… they are… Though, I wonder just how much progress they made this chapter… hee… Tohma… hee… XD

Oh _YAY_! That was _long_. Anyway, a **BIG** thank you to all those who reviewed again – it means a lot to me! XD And I went over the 100 reviews mark too! :-O! XD I am so happy! I'm currently reading a good lot of fanfics; **Don't Eat the Daisies**, **What You Give**, **War of Hearts**, **Kanashi i Nikki no Mahoutsukai** and **The Opposite of Gravity**. I want new installments for **Mother, May I?** and **Breaking Away** and **Phone Call** and **Shuusama** -- see, that's an awful lot… I could spend a long time talking about the fics I've read here… but, um, I'd take forever – Oh and I _need_ more of **Sweet Nothings** – yes! _ And then good **Naruto **and **FullMetal Alchemist** fics… for one, I know **Naruto **ate my brain…. Done, finally! Hopefully, I'll get a new chapter before next week, then, after that, I'll work on the next chapter of **Tamashii no Rufuran**….

^_^


	15. Lost Complex 1

Disclaimer: Gravitation does not belong to me. Ne, I doubt Gravitation would be as good if I owned it anyway. I'm not making any money out of this either and am just borrowing its characters….

A/N: First off, let's begin with a big, bold… **GOMEN!** I feel so bad, but this chapter took forever. I think the summer holidays really got to me – that and the fact that I was off writing for a month and caught a bad writer's block in the middle of a **Tamashii no Rufuran **side-fic. Once again, I'm so very, very sorry… and here we thought the wait for fourteen had been long… I don't really have much to say, not right now… But But! So happy this was finally beta-ed! XD I've had this finished for a while now, but Beta-san was busy with work (and now _I_ have work X.x) so this was further delayed. XD Special thanks go to **Pato-chan** (funny how nicknames evolve…), **Boogie-chan **(and all the lovely Phantoms…), **Bunny-chan**, for lotsa support and help along the chapter and all those plot goodness and then **anime-earth **– my golden, 160th reviewer. snickers I do have something for my faithful readers… sort of. I've recently gotten myself a tabby, I mean, tablet so I've been drawing and coloring like mad. Hopefully, in my absence, my drawing skills have improved enough to appease my.. faithful readers… (are there any left? ;;) I'll leave the links to the pics at the end of this chapter but for now, I'll write down the results to the.. gasp Who do you think (a.) should die/ (b.) will die/ c.) shouldn't die poll! Come on people, input is fun :D

So far:

a.) Tohma 2 votes, Juni 1 vote

b.) Tohma 2 votes, random ASK member 1 vote

c.) Yukito 1 vote, Juni 1 vote, Ruka 1 vote, Eiri 2 votes, Hiro 1 vote

Oh, the fun. And, I'm feeling like uh… rewarding the….. the 170th reviewer (I'm a hopeless dreamer) a pic :D So.. review ; huggles her beta-reader Pato-chan! I wuv you! You're the bestest! Any more errors in this chappie is mine, because I did the final editting. X.x Oh and _another_ poll for everyone :D! This time for our OCs. So… who's the **most-liked** and **most-hated** OC? Winners will get drawn, probably, in their.. uh.. element. (Ai looking evil? XP)

So, _finally_, we come to the fic :D I hope everyone likes it. From now on, I am back to hard-working mode. XD I'm sorry if this one is all the more out of touch with the other chapters, I'm still trying to get the same grip of the ever-evolving plot as I did before. Enjoyness :D!

* * *

Fifteen: Lost Complex (1)

* * *

Takumi 'hmph'ed, narrowing his eyes suspiciously at the evidence held in his left hand. The maintenance team had decided to use sturdy metal wires for the system of suspended platforms across the ceiling, as opposed to the more traditional ropes. They were meant to withstand tons of weight without snapping, to carry people through the wooden platforms above the ceiling without as much as swaying, but they certainly weren't made to withstand sabotage. The wire he held in his hand was no exception. With several of its metallic strings curled in a loop, looking very much like human hair when exposed to fire, and then the rest cut neatly, their edges perfectly flat as the wire shone in the dim light, Takumi didn't have to see any more to know what had been done. They had been lucky nothing of great value had been on that platform - just junk, broken lights, a few paint tins and other working materials. But then, all of those would have been enough to smash Kyoko's body beyond recognition, considering the height the platform had been suspended from and the added weight of everything on it.

He sighed and gave the evidence one last look of disgust before flinging it aside and standing up. It was too easy. He really should have taken matters into his own hands. If he had, then it wouldn't have led to this, but it was now too late for him to stop what had trespassed and all that was left for him to do was to make do with the situation.

"Taking matters into your own hands again. Aren't we, Takumi?" The mock clear in the voice of its speaker made Takumi snap his head to its source instantly, his dark eyes narrowing dangerously upon instinct knowing who the speaker was. He regarded the coffee-haired young man standing behind him indifferently and returned the condescending smile on the man's lips with one of his own.

"Setsuna, what are you doing here?" Takumi asked slowly, almost pensively. The other teen shrugged and the smile on his lips widened a notch as he began walking towards the raven-haired vocalist with easy strides.

"I just heard about what happened here and decided to see things for myself," Setsuna answered conversationally, his eyes wandering all over the scene as if to display his apparent curiosity. He stopped right beside his rival and began nonchalantly surveying the area from this standpoint, seeming to take in the negative emotions radiating from his rival, before taking a small step forward and crouching down on the floor. He picked up the wire in one hand with false curiosity before letting a shrewd smile spread on his lips.

"I thought my rival would be here so… 'Why not—?'" He continued suddenly, the statement coming off detached as if he'd been saying something in his mind and only decided to say it out loud towards the end.

"What do you want, Setsuna?" Takumi all but hissed and refrained from turning around and openly glaring at the man. He would not debase himself like this and give the man the satisfaction of seeing his usually calm face marred with an open display of anger. He refused to do so. Setsuna chuckled at his reaction, making him all the more uneasy.

"You hate me that much to think I have an ulterior motive behind everything. Don't you, Taku?" Setsuna questioned back in a dangerously calm tone. Takumi did not answer him and Setsuna threw the evidence on the floor then stood up. The fact that Setsuna was and would always be taller than him intimidated Takumi a bit and he knew the other vocalist took that tiny detail to his advantage. As if to answer Takumi's current train of thought, Setsuna and turned to Takumi with a predatory smile, absentmindedly brushing the invisible dirt on his pants.

"I'm just here to see how an old friend's holding up," Setsuna told his rival. "We're both vocalists and I hope you haven't forgotten about the competition."

Takumi twisted his head slightly and saw the other boy pocketing his hands in his jeans at the edge of his sight. There was a smirk on the other's face, and that he knew because of the voice with which he spoke afterwards.

"Even if you insist on forgetting about it or telling everyone else that you're not joining," Setsuna sneered, "and you're playing just for the sake of it… I know you are…"

The sound that Setsuna's expensive shoes made as he twisted and turned on his heels and took several steps forward carried to Takumi's ears, filling the tension-filled air when he failed to produce a witty comeback against his rival's words. Moments later, he found his shoulder connected with the other singer's and he turned his head sharply to meet his brown eyes defiantly.

"Because that's how you are and I won't let you win." A smile flitted across his face, and then the connection was gone, leaving Takumi blinking in sudden disorientation.

Takumi watched as the coffee-haired boy began walking away, his dark eyes fixing on his back questioningly though he wasn't quite sure what he was questioning. When Setsuna stopped after gaining a few feet's distance from him and locked gazes with him once more, Takumi was taken by surprise.

"So, how did the investigation go, Detective Takahashi?" Setsuna inquired with mock curiosity. Takumi smiled at him coldly and folded his arms across his chest.

"It was an accident. The maintenance team must have missed this one after last month's accident…" Takumi paused and his smile softened, though it did not reach the dark pits of his eyes. "But I'm calling the maintenance team again this afternoon so there won't be any chances of this happening ever again in the near future, Mitsusawa-san."

Setsuna mirrored the smile on Takumi's face, giving a false sense of camaraderie between the perpetual rivals. He made no attempt, however, at disguising the truth his eyes displayed otherwise. "The school will be glad to know you're doing your job so well," he remarked before adding, "You've taken after your uncle after all, Detective-san. It must run in the family." He allowed a small dose of sarcasm in his voice before directing an icy smile at Takumi and turning away from him. Setsuna waved his hand in dismissal as he walked away and Takumi followed his retreating form until he disappeared from his field of sight, a mixture of emotions he wouldn't have been able to explain or bothered to care about pooling within him. Finally, he stalked out of the place, meaning to search for assistance before Takagi-sensei came to check out for his progress.

* * *

"_Yes, _Aniki! _You look handsommuuuu!"_

Eiri rolled his eyes at his younger brother's poor display of English skills, or his lack thereof. He knew there had to be a catch for his apparent gift when it came to learning languages. It was Karma. The older brother got the brains and the younger brother got the brains in his pants. He stepped out of the bathroom finally, ignoring the less-than comfortable look his brother was giving him and walked towards the bed where a brown leather jacket was spread. He put it on, glad to have something to cover the pieces of indecent clothing on his back and heaved a long-suffering sigh when Tatsuha made a whimpering sound.

"What?" He snapped irritatingly at his brother who was, by now, giving him a pitiful, puppy-eyed look.

"I took all night picking out clothes for you! And… and you're going to cover my masterpiece just like that!?" Tatsuha protested; his voice laced with mock disbelief as he pointed accusingly at his elder brother, who smirked deviously.

"I don't think anyone should call your clothes a masterpiece," Eiri told him and eyed the clothing underneath the jacket with disgust. "Especially if they make you look like a two-bit whore."

"Hey! That hurt!" Tatsuha complained.

"Oh, I forget," Eiri drawled, sneering as he shook his head slightly. "You wear _this_ type of clothes whenever you go out with your 'Honey bunny'." Tatsuha opened his mouth and the teenager gaped wordlessly at his older brother who just laughed.

"Tha—that's not fair." Tatsuha said finally, at length, while Eiri leisurely sat himself on the bedside table and lit himself a cigarette. The older Uesugi craned his head up and grinned at his younger brother innocently. "Huh? What? What's not fair?"

Tatsuha stared at him incredulously and sighed. He walked towards the bed dejectedly and plopped down beside his brother. "You do that and then nobody has a say anymore," Tatsuha grumbled before letting out a loud groan. Eiri regarded him with a 'hmph' and took a long drag off his cigarette.

"So, what are you planning on doing?" Eiri asked after a while, idly puffing smoke and watching it dissipate into the air. He was sure his lecherous and cunning little brother had something planned. He almost always did whenever he put effort into something. He knew his brother wasn't the type to pour his efforts into a fruitless cause, and getting Yuki Eiri in leather halter-top that showed more of his chest than it covered, a fishnet shirt beneath it, and matching leather pants complete with a number of all-leather belts was no easy feat. It took a lot of effort… and weariness from his part. He knew, _normally_, he wouldn't have let Tatsuha even _talk_ about getting him into something like the number he was wearing now, but he had been tired and weary, not to mention in a state that wasn't normally _him_. Everything the night before had been simply unreal, like it had never happened, even. He wondered briefly, with a tiny smirk, just how _unreal_ things could get from this point on – he looked forward to reacting justly to whatever else fate had in store for him. He hadn't even given much thought about what he'd do then and now he was virtually locked out of his apartment. He had some serious thinking to do later, that much, he knew.

Tatsuha lifted his left arm and pulled his jacket sleeve up to take a glance at his watch. He smirked at his elder brother. "Well, nothing now though Mika told me to drag your sorry ass down to N-G where she could talk to you about the current situation…." He waited for the quizzical expression on his brother's face then continued, "Then we still have to wait for Ryu-chan. And after that we'll hit the bars and do whatever Ryu-chan wants us to do—"

"You seem to be getting along very well with that Sakuma-san, hn?"

"Huh, Aniki?" The older Uesugi got up and put off his cigarette on the nearest ashtray before turning to his younger brother.

"Might as well go for a walk," he said simply. Tatsuha gaped. "You might as well call your "Honey-bunny" to go look for us around the block. I need some fresh air."

"Fre—sh…air?" Tatsuha arched an eyebrow and continued staring ahead blankly with a puzzled expression until the sound of the door opening caught his attention. "Oi! Aniki! Aren't you even _slightly_ worried about the fangirls… the media… and… Oi!"

Eiri stopped by the doorway and gave his brother a tiny, smug smirk before slipping a pair of sunglasses on. "Seriously, how many girls do you think expect to see their favorite novelist dressed like a man-whore in the streets of Tokyo, in broad daylight, for fresh air?"

* * *

His eyes darted from the road to the rearview mirror to get a better look at the fidgeting girl in the back seat. He made a small, reassuring smile before turning to the road once more. Fukuyama Kyoko was every bit the simple nineteen year old girl she had introduced herself to be as she sat at the back of his car, long slender, manicured fingers clutching at the hem of her leather skirt as her eyes wandered from her lap to the front occasionally. It was hard to imagine the very same girl was bent on unearthing the mystery surrounding some famous pop star, but Yukito was sure she had her own reasons. Reasons he did not mind hearing about though he knew she probably wouldn't tell him anyway….

"I think… if you think it's absolutely worth it then… Fukuyama-san shouldn't just give up," he said finally, hesitatingly though with all honesty, in response to the question he knew had been bothering Kyoko for a while now. Kyoko looked up and from the view the rearview mirror offered, he knew he had said the right thing when her face lit up, literally, turning a few shades redder. Yukito thought that was rather odd, though he suspected it was one of those things girls naturally did. He didn't hang around that many girls, but he knew, at least, they were a lot more sensitive than men.

"I agree with Fujiwara-san here," Nanae added quietly from her seat beside Yukito. She shifted slightly in her seat and turned to the flustered girl, giving her a gentle smile. "If you think it's worth it, then you should go for it."

"I…" Kyoko whispered before trailing away. "I think it's worth it," she said after a brief pause with more confidence. Nanae eyed her closely, her dark eyes imploring her to examine the matter deeper, and she frowned and sighed before lowering her eyes to her lap again. She balled her hands into fists and clenched them tightly until her knuckles turned white. "I still don't think it's an accident. Somebody…somebody was out to kill me…."

Yukito pursed his lips. "Well, accident or not… I guess you would have come to this choice anyway –to continue or not to continue, Fukuyama-san," he paused and sighed. Takumi had said it was purely an accident and there was nothing intentional about a few cables snapping due to negligence and a few extra tons of junk, but even he found himself doubting the outcome of the analysis. He trusted Takumi's credibility and if anything had escaped a sharp person like their vocalist, then the person responsible for the so-called accident was cunning, indeed. "If you think it's worth it then… there's no choice but to go ahead, ne?"

Kyoko was silent as she digested what Yukito had said and the brunette hoped she trusted him enough – enough to understand he was offering nothing but the truth… as he saw it. The keyboardist watched her closely, his attention darting back and forth between the road and the distressed girl as he waited for her response patiently.

"What…" Kyoko began hesitantly. "What would Kasumi-san do?" She blurted out suddenly causing the older woman's eyebrows to furrow a bit with mild surprise. Yukito blinked at the girl before focusing on driving again, leaving only a part of his brain attentive for any more progress in the conversation.

Nanae laughed softly. "Excuse me?"

Kyoko smiled sheepishly before leaning forward. "I mean, if you were in my situation…" Her tone of speech turned inquisitive. It was the kind of tone she used when she questioned anyone connected to the case.. "…with risks like this, would you…" she trailed away and frowned slightly, "would you… still continue?"

The red light came up and Yukito tuned the whole of his attention back to the two young women. He watched Nanae curiously and waited for the older woman's reply with anticipation.

"I probably would…" Nanae began quietly before breaking into a smile and meeting Kyoko's deep blue eyes with her dark eyes, "….quit," she finished quietly before turning away. She turned her gaze to the window beside her and looked out before breaking a simple explanation to her choice. "I'm not one to take risks, to be honest, Fukuyama-san. There are things you absolutely have to fight for, and things you should learn to let go…. And for me, I think my career and my life," she paused and smiled, "comfortable as it is now, are more important."

Kyoko stared at her and she laughed softly. "That wasn't very helpful now, was it, Fukuyama-san?"

"N-no…. I… I think that was very helpful." Kyoko broke into a smile and she sat back on her seat before turning to Yukito, whose unreadable eyes were still fixed on the older woman.

"Oi, Yuki-_chan_. The green light just went on," Kyoko said suddenly, pointing at the traffic light overhead. "Or do you think we should wait for a honk and then some police on patrol to pull up beside us?"

The brunette blinked once and then shook his head before placing disorientated hands back on the steering wheel. Kyoko laughed amusedly and Yukito hung his head, a light blush reddening his cheeks. "Gomen, gomen… I was just… taken aback…."

"I'm sorry. I can be very honest sometimes," Nanae confessed and Yukito caught her bowing apologetically at Kyoko from the edge of his sight. He shook his head with a slight smile.

"N-no, no, not that way. I meant…." He began an explanation and then paused, searching for the right words to say exactly what he thought about it. "I thought it was extremely… honest... to say that. Because I probably would too, but… I would have said I'd continue anyway…". His eyes wandered to the rearview mirror again, to watch Kyoko, whose eyes were fixed on his very own reflection on the mirror. The College student was watching him with wide, interested eyes. "…even if I wouldn't have, just to make Fukuyama-san feel better. Because, for me, that's the right thing to do, I suppose. But Nanae-san was honest and I think she's right. It depends on the person…"

Yukito smiled. "You can choose to stop now, you lose nothing. But you can continue against all odds and….. see what happens. It's your choice, ne? Fukuyama-san?"

"I won't lose nothing…" Kyoko mumbled quietly, almost in protest, with her eyebrows drawn before quickly turning to Nanae for her own two cents.

"Like Fujiwara-san said, it matters to you," Nanae said simply. "If this man was out to scare you and to warn you… then you can choose to give in to him…." She smiled, "or you can challenge him. It's all up to you. This is your choice."

Yukito grinned, agreeing with the older woman fully, while Kyoko, who seemed completely inspired by Nanae's words, nodded eagerly.

"That was…" Kyoko frowned and then grinned impishly. _"Thank You_," she said in English before breaking into a hearty laugh. "That was very helpful, you know?" She remarked. "And…. I think I'll give it some thought."

"I think you'll have to give it more than just some thought, Fukuyama-san!" Yukito pointed out jokingly which made Kyoko laugh.

"Yuki-_chan_…. That was sweet." Yukito blinked, sure there was something wrong about what Kyoko had just said until she spoke again, at which point all thoughts of that were erased. "Isn't that the Es-NA building?" The black-haired, College student was pointing outside the window to her right innocently and the building in question slowly rolled out of sight. Yukito laughed nervously.

"I think we just passed it…" Kyoko suggested solemnly and noted with amusement how Yukito began looking left and right for the next U turn in near-panic while Nanae broke into quiet laughter.

"It's okay, Fujiwara-san. There's no need to panic…" Nanae assured the boy and when he turned to her she shook her head. "You can let me down here. I'll walk to the building. It won't take more than five minutes."

"Are you sure? …I mean, Nanae-san …I can…. Drive around and—"

"No, it's okay. I'm sure of it." She paused to take a look at the watch on her right hand and looked up, smiling, once more. "And I have a lot of time for some exercise. I'll be perfectly fine if you let me go down here."

"Are you sure?" The keyboardist pulled up at the curb and turned to look at the raven-haired woman with concern. "I mean, it won't take long if I dri—"

"It's fine," ASK's manager said, cutting him off effectively by placing a hand on his shoulder and then leaning forward to plant a chaste kiss on his cheek. Yukito spluttered and Kyoko's eyes bulged. "I thank you, Fujiwara-san… for your concern." The older woman pulled away and then briefly turned to Kyoko, who looked surprised and flustered for a few moments at… something. Yukito wasn't quite sure what had happened.

"Uh…" Yukito said after recovering from the shock of the sudden kiss. A healthy blush spread across the keyboardist cheeks and he shook his head. "It was… it was nothing….." He paused and swallowed nervously. "Nanae-san…"

Nanae smiled at him again and stepped out of the car. The ASK Manager was just about to close the door after her when Kyoko leaned forward from the backseat and held a pen and a small black notebook out to her. Nanae blinked at the items held out to her and gave the younger woman a questioning look. "Fukuyama-san?"

Kyoko smiled at the older woman and held the notebook and the pen closer to the woman. "I like you, Kasumi-san! And I make it a habit to make sure the people who can be my friends becomes my friends so—" She gave the pen a tiny playful wave for emphasis while she opened the notebook with one hand to an empty page. "You go write down your telephone number and email address, if you have one, right here…!"

Nanae took the notebook and then the pen with a gracious nod and then proceeded to writing her contact information on the notebook. She then handed the notebook back to Kyoko, whose eyes lit up at the Manager's neat and elegant penmanship.

"Thank you, Kasumi-san!" Kyoko put the notebook and the pen back into her bag and grinned. "I'll call you sometime. Let's eat lunch together!"

"I look forward to that, then," the Manager said with a smile and turned to Yukito again. "Thank you again, Fujiwara-san. I look forward to seeing you again," she said. After saying that, she closed the door after her and waved one last time through the window before walking away. Yukito watched her for a few moments before beginning to drive again. Kyoko, who had been watching Yukito for a while, smiled impishly before leaning against the driver's seat.

"You like her," she said in a singsong voice before laughing when the blush on Yukito's cheeks intensified. The keyboardist unconsciously lifted a hand to push the glasses up his nose nervously.

"Uh….well…"

"Ne, Yuki-chan, do you have a girlfriend?" The girl craned her head slightly to get a better view of the brunette, who avoided her gaze but kept on smiling nevertheless "Do you like older women?"

Yukito was silent. "I'm engaged," he said simply, and that statement seemed to lift his confidence. "You… you can say I like older women." He smiled and then turned to her. "Ai… my fiancée… she's older than me."

Kyoko blinked once and then her eyebrow twitched. She stared at Yukito in disbelief. "You're… engaged?!"

"Uh… yes." The brunette laughed nervously and turned away. "Is it… surprising--?"

"YES!" The girl yelled and Yukito began laughing nervously again. Kyoko shook her head then when she realized she'd just yelled and quickly added, "I mean, girlfriend is fine.. I mean, you're all nice-looking and… boyfriend material but... _engaged_?! _That's just unbelievable, Yukito! You're seventeen… and… and.. that's not the right age for engagements…_"

Yukito stared and she clamped her mouth shut and smiled apologetically.

"If it helps then, Fukuyama-san—"

"You can call me Kat. 'Fukuyama-san' is too formal anyway…" Kyoko interrupted and Yukito nodded.

"I mean.. uh… Kat…" He sighed, "Kyoko-san,… it was arranged." He waited for the girl's response and smiled pitifully. When had the situation become suddenly… uncomfortable?

"So you don't love her?" She deadpanned and his eyes widened. He laughed nervously and ran a hand into his hair.

"N-no, I _do_ love her. It was just arranged…" He stopped and suddenly pointed ahead. "That's the place right? Your Campus?"

Kyoko quickly averted her gaze to the direction Yukito was pointing at and smiled brightly, momentarily forgetting their less-than comfortable conversation. "Yeah, that's it…" She wrapped her arms around Yukito and grinned. "Thanks for driving me, ne, Yuki-chan?" She took out her notebook and pen again then handed it to him as he stopped the car right beside the gate.

The brunette stared at the items and then made a small sigh before accepting them.

* * *

The Nittle Grasper vocalist grinned as he watched the familiar blond and raven-haired men walking up to him underneath his tinted glasses, his mind already jumping to what he had planned for them, or more specifically, him. When the two were close enough, he held out the small paper bag he carried to the raven-haired Uesugu.

"Your clothes, Ta-chan," he said confidently before turning to the blond and smirking. "Are you ready, Yuki-san?"

The romance novelist sneered and took a drag off his cigarette before finally responding sarcastically. "I can hardly wait."

"I'm sure you'll like it, Yuki-san." Ryuichi told him before walking to his lover's side and linking an arm with him. "I think you'll find it interesting." He paused and continued in a heavy drawl, "Very… very.. interesting…"

"Ne, Ryu-chan, are we going back to the hotel so I can change to this?" Tatsuha questioned innocently and grinned when Ryuichi leaned forward and whispered in his ears, "You can change in the next club we go to… with me. Na.. no.. da…" **

* * *

**

A small frown marred Tohma's face and he looked over his shoulder warily at the sound of the wooden doors opening and footsteps on the carpeted floor. A flash of gold caught his sight and he turned away, continuing to watch the sunset, or what could be seen of it from his glass window, sure of who his unannounced visitor was.

"Ryuichi's gone out now. Hasn't he, K-san?" He asked softly, his eyes narrowing very slightly with the knowledge that Ryuichi was up to something. He didn't need to see Ryuichi to know for sure he was up to something and the recent events just proved his instincts right.

The American smiled and again the NG President didn't need to see him to know he did. "Yeah, he just did."

Tohma smiled. "Thank You, K-san." He paused and then placed a hand on the window. "How did today go?"

There was a pause, K seemed to be hesitating. "Ryuichi agreed and they're performing on the twenty-fifth. We may get two slots in the show, depending on the outcome of a _competition_ they're holding." Another pause, "You knew that though. Didn't you, Seguchi?"

His lips curved into a wide smile and he spoke in an amused tone. "K-san, why are you here?"

He heard the American's low laughter and continued smiling, if not smiling wider. "I'm here to know whether you'll interfere, _Mr. Seguchi_."

"And what makes you think I'll interfere with _that_? I gave you permission, didn't I?"

K laughed again, "Well, a Seguchi Tohma who doesn't pull strings can't be _normal, right_? I like to be sure you won't."

It was Tohma who laughed this time and he spun around and placed his gloved hands into his coat pockets before smiling innocently at the American Manager. "But you wouldn't even know if and when I pull strings and cover things up a bit, K-san. Don't you agree my connections are rather vast?"

"You're right about that." K grinned and took a step forward. "But I'd like to hear you say it still. Give me _peace of mind_, Seguchi."

Amber eyes narrowed slightly as they assessed the American Manager who smiled smugly. The silence between them stretched for a few long minutes before a sharp ringing sound cut through it. Tohma automatically walked back to his desk and picked up his cell phone.

K eyed him suspiciously from where he stood across the office and he smiled and turned to him. "Give me just a few moments, K-san. We'll settle things afterwards." He waved towards the sofas and said, "Please, take a seat, K-san, while you wait. I won't take long."

He answered the call then and silently listened to the voice on the other line. K watched the NG President closely when he finally spoke. Tohma's voice was calm, soothing as it always was. "Ah… you're calling about that…" K's eyebrows shot up in curiosity, but continued listening on in silence while Tohma continued. "No. I'm busy now. I can't go now. We'll do something about it later, though. I'll arrange a time…." A small smile broke on his lips. "I'll see you then….Take care, too…"

"You were listening. Weren't you, K-san?" Tohma said finally when he hung up. He placed the phone back on his desk and walked towards the American Manager with an amused smile. "That's very unbecoming of you," he added.

K grinned. "As a Manager, I make it my business to know what my _band_… and everyone else around it… are doing." He paused and the grin on his lips widened. "You didn't even bother to go out either, Seguchi. I assumed you didn't mind."

"Who was that on the _phone_, Seguchi?" K asked finally. The smile on the President's lips wavered slightly, an action that had lasted only a mere split second, but the American's expert eyes picked it up anyway.

"Mika," Tohma answered him. "She was asking whether I'll be coming home early tonight." His smile turned cruel. "Or are you interested in what we're having for dinner tonight, too, K-san?"

"I'm more interested in why you can't make it tonight," K countered, standing up from the sofa. He placed his hands on his hips and grinned. "So, do I have your word about not interfering, Mr. Seguchi?"

The cunning NG President was silent for a long while, his lips pressed into a thin line. And then his lips moved, slowly, carefully forming the words he had thought of saying.

"You have my word, K-san."

The look on his eyes told K 'But that does not matter in this game, does it?' but he smiled anyway and gave a mock nod before spinning around and heading back to the door.

"_Thank you, Mr. Seguchi. That's all I wanted_," he said in English and then stepped out the door, ignoring the unreadable look in the NG President's eyes.

**

* * *

**

And now…. Uh.. the response to the uber cool, awesome, amazing people who reviewed my fic will be… in another site ; Because, it's… long and being gone for.. oh, around five months really does give you quite a lot of… response. coughs

The link is here: **http : www . angelfire . com/anime5/bitterxsaccharine/Fifteen-responses.htm** but I think I'll post up the linkie in my user profile anyway ;

And, as promised, the links to my random sketches and other things: **http : img . photobucket . com/albums/v207/miraiaria/** The pics are in folders to feel free to explore. For the more polished drawings and whatnot, visit my deviantART account. As mentioned before, I'm **white-crescent** over at deviantART. :D

I can't believe I was dancing about crossing the 100th review line then. Now I have more reason to dance about! :D I am so completely, utterly, behind my Gravitation fanfic-reading… but but… as have become usual, I am faithfully following **Aja**/**imayb1**'s ABC series and reading any random lemonfic along. Looking to catching up with **The Opposite of Gravity**, **Magnetism**, **Kanashi i Nikki no Mahoutsukai **and a loot more fanfics. ; See, **Naruto** _really_ ate my brain this time, that and **FullMetal Alchemist **and **Kyou Kara Maou** – which is evil, evil evil. Maybe I'm watching too many animes… and fandoms. Chapter sixteen is in the works now, fear not, it shall be done soon… and so shall this series. I'm really, really looking forward to finishing **Yuki** because it's.. so… so… close. Then, after this, I can tend more openly to my… other… pet…fics…. Wait... is this chapter… too short? ;; I feel like I've lost my touch some more… ;;

:D (because my other smiley won't work...T-T kicks FFNet.. I give up. Ffnet must die T-T)


	16. Lost Complex 2

Disclaimer: Gravitation does not belong to me. Ne, I doubt Gravitation would be as good if I owned it anyway. I'm not making any money out of this either and am just borrowing its characters….

A/N: A long while, a long wait pain. I'll have new pic for this series fic up at my username profile soon, so check it out. Also, I'm _really_ working on my website now so.. yeah… _sooon‾ _Finally, a version of sixteen I'm relatively happy with. Though I think I did it with the price of my OC's OOCness…. It's **unedited** as is common with my works. Also, posting my works at Gurabite has been a pain – Word 2000's HTML programming is _not_ liked very much by the upload thingie there ;-; sigh

And so, I gamble with sixteen. XD

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Sixteen: Lost Complex (2)

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_Sock-clad feet padded across the wooden floor, their owner making sure he made no sound as he entered the apartment and closed the door behind him with much care. The boy discarded his backpack and left it against the wall before curiously peeking around the corner and into the living room. His lips curved into a small, amused smile suddenly at the sight of the man hard at work on the piano and he crept towards the man and stopped right behind him before finally opening his mouth to break the silence._

"Tadaima." The boy greeted quietly in a voice that was almost a whisper. The man at the piano whirled around and was startled for a precious few moments before finally breaking into a wide smile and replying in the same manner.

_"Okaeri, Eiri-kun." _

_The smile on the boy's lips widened and he stood there, smiling proudly about such a small feat before wrapping his slender arms around the man's shoulders and peering over his shoulder to look at the half-filled page of music paper on the piano stand. "Working on a new piece?"_

_The man looked at him once and then the picked the piece of paper, glancing quickly at the whole written on it before showing it to the boy with a confirming smile. "Yes…. it's not finished yet though."_

_The boy leaned forward and examined the notes on the paper. Moments later, he narrowed his golden eyes and furrowed his eyebrows and turned to the man with a questioning look that made the man chuckle lightly._

_"You want to hear, don't you, Eiri-kun?" The man asked in a slightly amused tone and the boy put on a mock-look-of-annoyance before breaking into a wide grin and nodding eagerly._

_"I'm Tohma-kun's number one fan, aren't I?" The boy said with a laugh and then let go of the man's shoulders. The man moved a little and the boy sat himself beside him even as he returned the music notebook back on the stand._

_The boy watched carefully as the man placed his delicate fingers professionally on the keys, meaning to watch every move they took to create the sort of music he knew the man was capable of creating with them. The man began playing then and a simple, yet promising, tune, was created. It was nothing like the fast, very much synthesized music the boy knew the man usually worked on and was more on the traditional side, perhaps. It was simple, yes, it didn't employ the synthesized special effects but it was beautiful, happy, bright. Hopeful. _

_He could have thought about more adjectives to describe it had it lasted longer but as it happened, before he knew it, he was watching a pair of still fingers on the keyboard. He looked up, from the hands, to the face of their owner and the man smiled._

_"It's not done yet," the man told him quietly, "I'm still working on it. But…did you like it, Eiri-kun?"_

_The boy jumped off the seat and stood facing the man. "It was nice and simple. I really liked it, Tohma-kun."_

_"You did, hmm?" The man narrowed his eyes and looked the boy suspiciously, "You're not just telling me this so I don't ship you back to Mika, are you?" The man's voice dipped, turning menacing but the boy was unfazed as he broke into light laughter and began shaking his head._

_"Promise, Tohma-kun, I'm not!" The boy blurted out before breaking into a mischievous grin. "… so, who was it for?" _

_"Who was it for?" the man echoed, arching an eyebrow as he did so. The boy nodded quietly and edged closer, golden eyes widening a notch. "Kitazawa-sensei told me artists often draw inspiration from other things. People, songs, places, memories... all that… So who are you making it for, Tohma-kun? It really felt like it was for someone…."_

_At this, the man only smiled. "It's for someone special."_

_The boy's mouth opened in an 'O' and he stood up and planted his hands on the man's shoulders. "Is it for Mikarin?" The boy asked inquisitively._

_The man continued smiling and then broke into chuckling. "Hi-mit-su." He said simply, purposely slurring the simple Japanese word and laughed when the boy's handsome face creased into disbelieving frown._

_"It's a secret, Eiri-kun. Maybe… I'll tell you when it's done. Maybe."_

Maybe.

ooo  
ooo

Eiri glared up at the neon signboard, as it seemed to loom ominously above him, the English word 'Nocturne' on it in bright neon pink only making him even more uneasy than he already was. Behind him, Tatsuha reluctantly broke the lip-lock with his lover and stepped out of their car and began walking towards where his brother stood. Tatsuha knew his novelist for a brother was already regretting deciding to put up with whatever Ryuichi had in store for him but now that they were where Ryuichi wanted them to be, and that was after several clubs on the way, there was certainly no turning back.

"Oi, Aniki!" He called out, grinning, as he walked towards the older Uesugu with grin, his hands planted on the back of his hips almost deliberately and suggestively for the Nittle Grasper vocalist in the car behind him. The award-winning novelist turned sharply and regarded Tatsuha sharply before reaching for the pack in his jacket and lighting a cigarette. Tatsuha swallowed, obviously his older brother was not pleased but he was sure an angry Eiri was a tad better than an angry Ryuichi in this situation. Shuichi had once told him the sofa was not a nice bedmate and he seriously didn't think their expensive sofa back home was any more friendlier than his brother's.

"This is the last club we're going tonight, isn't it?" Eiri asked quietly after taking a short drag from his cigarette. The blond watched his brother, blond eyes shining through the thin screen of smoke from his cigarette. Tatsuha nodded and reached for the pack still in his older brother's hand. He plucked a stick out and then asked for the lighter, which Eiri produced from his jacket and handed to him.

"Yup, it is." Tatsuha replied finally as he lit his own cigarette.

"You've been here." Eiri stated calmly in between drags and Tatsuha nodded again.

"With Ryuichi." The younger Uesugu said and then looked back. He grinned when he found his favorite vocalist leaning against the hood of their car, arms folded as he watched them, or rather him, with a predatory grin.

"So… care to tell me why you wanted me here?" Eiri asked finally and the sarcasm in his tone of voice was definitely not lost to Tatsuha. The dark-haired Uesugu turned away from his lover and grinned at his older brother.

"Ryu-chan didn't tell me, but I don't think he's out to pair you up with some hot blonde chick." He paused and then continued a little hesitantly, "At least I don't think so…"

Eiri was silent, staring ahead listlessly and Tatsuha watched him a bit worriedly. Ryuichi's words echoed in his mind then and he smiled inwardly, almost relieved. No, Ryuichi would certainly not do that, especially given how much Shuichi mattered to Ryuichi.

"Actually, Aniki—" The younger Uesugu placed an arm on his brother's back and grinned, "I don't think Ryu-chan would do that, so you're safe…. And besides, how long has it been since you went out partying?" Eiri rolled his eyes. "You… need a break…" He looked over his shoulder and grinned at Ryuichi. "Ne, Ryu-chan?"

Ryuichi took that as his cue and, grinning, he unfolded his arms, stood away from the car, and began sauntering towards them. Tatsuha licked his lips as he ran his eyes up and down the vocalist, finding it hard to repress himself from thinking dirty, dirty thoughts. Especially when said vocalist was sporting skin-tight, deep red leather pants that hugged every curve of his shapely legs and an unbelievably tight black, zip-up tank top that refused to cover his well-toned abdomen. He swallowed the lump that had formed in his throat and made one final attempt to shake the thoughts off; he did not want to spend any more time in the restroom acting like bunnies in mating season tonight, no matter how hot his bunny-partner was, and that was that.

"Ne, Ta-chan, you're looking flushed." Tatsuha stiffened suddenly and the NG vocalist let out a short amused laugh before turning to the novelist, deliberately brushing provocatively at the younger Uesugu's lower regions and completely ignoring the tiny whimper that escaped the boy's lips as he did so.

"Yuki-san—" Ryuichi began, grinning impishly, "You have to do me a favor though, na no da…."

The novelist immediately arched an eyebrow before creasing his eyebrows and eyeing the older man suspiciously. He discarded the cigarette in his hand, letting it fall to the ground before stubbing it and then folding his hands. "What and why?" He asked simply and the redhead laughed.

"Be‾cause, na no da…." The vocalist began, giggling before blurting out, "Kumagorou's holding your laptop hostage!"

Tatsuha's jaws dropped and the withering glare his brother shot him made him squirm uncomfortably. He quickly edged closer to Ryuichi, carefully placing his hands on the artist's shoulders. Nervously, he tried to reason to his lover under the watchful eyes of his older brother whose mind, he was sure, was slowly filling with murderous thoughts aimed at him.

"Eh.. um.. Ryu-chan…" He drummed his fingers on his lover's shoulders nervously, "I don't think it's a good idea to play with uh.. Aniki's…preci—" Eiri's eyes narrowed and if it was possible, the gaze sharpened, making the hair on Tatsuha's back stand, "…I mean, laptop…."

Ryuichi giggled and turned to him, moving one hand to tug at the sheer, transparent shirt he wore innocently. "But Kuma-chan won't do anything to it…" his lips curved into a small devilish smirk, Tatsuha was sure, Eiri saw, "…if Yuki-san follows what I want him to do, na da…"

"And just _what_ do you want me to do…?" The tone in the novelist voice was dangerous but Ryuichi only turned to him, smiling innocently while Tatsuha cowered behind his lover.

"I want you to meet someone, na no da!" Ryuichi readily answered readily and Tatsuha's eyes bulged out.

"It's not some blonde chick is it!" Tatsuha blurted out suddenly with wide eyes and Ryuichi giggled childishly. Eiri, on the other hand, looked visibly displeased as he let his face scrunch into a bitter frown that made Tatsuha very, very worried.

"Sakuma…" Eiri all but growled and the vocalist giggled more.

"You'll see! You'll like my surprise—" Ryuichi grabbed Tatsuha's left arm and began leading him towards the entrance, all the while giggling and skipping. "And Kumagoro's good – if you follow Ryu-chan, Kuma-chan won't hurt your laptop!"

Grudgingly, Eiri complied by keeping his silence and followed the duo. Minutes later, he found himself plunging into an almost unsettling darkness. When the first of the many blinking lights hit his eyes, he had a distant feeling he would be getting more than just his laptop's safety once the night was over.

ooo  
ooo

He closed his eyes and leaned against the stalls wall, one hand easily pushing the lock close to prevent anyone from entering his stall, the other holding a cell phone to his ears. He waited in silence, busying himself by listening to the sound of water dripping from one of the faucets and the faint music from the club outside, while his cell phone projected nothing but monotonous ringing as it waited for the other line to pick up.

_"Yukito_?"

His eyes shot open and he relaxed, shoulders slumping slightly while his lips curved into a small smile. "I'm at _Nocturne_ right now..." he paused and looked up, eyes focusing on the ceiling, "With Sakuma-san but… ah.. I was calling because I finished the song."

He was silent for a few moments, "Yes, I want you to hear it. We were working on it and Takumi's gotten a hold of the tune and all we can…"

"Oh?" He mumbled moments later, disappointment etched on his face. He ran a hand through his bleached-blond hair and then managed a smile later. "Then I'll just call you later?" The smile widened as the speaker on the other end of the line continued and he finally laughed, "It's okay, I know you'll want to hear it anyway. I'll just have it recorded or something if you can't find the time, ne..?" He bit his lower lip and then continued in Englsih,

_"Take care_ _then_, ne? _Tohma-kun_…"

Yukito hung up and in slung the lock open before walking out of the stall. He stopped and stared at his reflection on the mirrors lined up in the bathroom and wondered, for the briefest moment, just how important the other man was to him. It felt so wrong to be like this and yet, right.

With a shake of his head, and a smile, he slipped his cell phone into his unbuttoned shirt's pocket and began jogging towards the bathroom exit.

ooo  
ooo

It was probably a step above the semi-organized live performances at the Pelshana which he, occasionally, attended simply because he felt like it. However it was, Eiri refused to feel comfortable with the organized atmosphere or to enjoy the entertainment – amateurish or not – offered. He was seated at one of the front tables beside the dance floor, and, to his amusement, right beside the table with teachers, whom he was told, actually organized these gigs for the students' grades. It was an odd system, one that probably made public school official's faces scrunch at the thought. Ironically though, it seemed to work, that or it was simply because almost all, if not all, of the students enrolled in the school hailed from rich, and influential families.

They were 'escorted' to this table by the redhead, who was seated just beside them busy scrutinizing the act onstage with narrowed eyes, who met them at the entrance. He had introduced himself as Ruka then, a third-year high student who had apparently known Ryuichi before this and was in whatever Ryuichi had planned.

Noriko, who arrived earlier than they did with the Nittle Grasper guitarist, was seated beside Hiro, busily chatting about the possibility of schools like these yielding positively bright futures to the music industry. While Ryuichi, to his utter disgust, was busy 'riding' Tatsuha's lap _'innocently_' while watching the ongoing act. Finally, unable to take in anymore of it, he slammed his drink down the table, effectively catching their attention, before sharply addressing Ryuichi.

_"Sakuma_" he hissed pensively, ignoring the looks Noriko and Hiro directed at him., "Enough of the games. What the hell do you intend me to do?

The brunette NG vocalist responded smiled impishly before turning around to face him, still seated on his brother's lap. It was to piss him, Eiri was sure.

"It's the next act after this." Ryuichi stated calmly and Eiri was momentarily distracted by the stage behind Ryuichi. "See? It's finishing, then Ruka—" The vocalist pointed at the redhead, who was watching him very closely, "and Takumi and Yuki-chan—" Eiri barely managed to hold back a wince at the name, endearing nickame or not, "will be up next. So just wait, ne Yuki-chan."

"What exactly am _I_ to wait for, Sakuma?" Eiri asked darkly, folding his arms as he sat back. Ruka excused himself beside him while the announcer announced the closing of the current act and for the most part, Eiri ignored him. Dead laptop or not, he had a right to know just what the manboy was putting him up to.

Ryuichi grinned as he got off from Tatsuha's lap and leant forward, mouths moving to form words Eiri couldn't quite hear above the sound of music and voices mixed.

"_What?_" Eiri all but yelled and Ryuichi sat back down, a smile of deep satisfaction on his face.

"You'll see." Ryuichi merely said with an enigmatic smile and just then all the lights went out.

Silence swept through the whole club disrupted only by the sound of glasses chinking and quiet whispers, as well as the occasional loud laughs. And then, there it was, the melodious sound of piano resonating from the stage. Eiri thought it was absurd to have _classic_ music in club like this but was later on struck dumbfounded when his mind began _recognizing_ the tune. It was familiar, too disturbingly familiar though his mind drew blanks when asked _where_ it was from.

He looked across their table and met Noriko's eyes with a deeply questioning look. The NG keyboardist responded with a simple shake of her head but the look on her face and the bewilderment clearly written all over it clued him in the fact it was just him feeling the odd sense of déjà vu. They was no time left to ponder about the eerily familiar tune though and in a matter of seconds, loud, digital sounds began erupting from the stage as beams of multi-colored lights seemed to explode from the ceiling, moving to the beat with blinding speed.

Screams and squeals began erupting from the crowd as the lights continued dancing around the silhouettes onstage and then the lights stopped, a myriad of colors, resting on, at first, the blonde at the back of the stage, flanked by two keyboards with which he was furiously moving his skilled fingers about. And then within moments, more beams of light – Eiri couldn't help but wonder just how many light fixtures the club was equipped with – danced their way to the keyboardist, which was none-other than the redhead that had been, only minutes ago, seating in their table with him. Vaguely, Eiri heard Noriko 'ooh', especially when the lights finally went to reveal the vocalist, a tall, long black-haired _boy_ dressed in a simple tight-fitting black top, that was generously rolled up slightly in the mid-section to reveal a very much flat abdomen, and equally black and tight leather pants.

"_kamitsuku OMAE no suhada ni ishiki wa tobasare_

_zawatsuita tsuki no umi de korogaru yume o miteta…._"

Watching the dark-haired vocalist, it didn't take a long for Eiri to realize what Ryuichi might have in plan for him and he immediately shot the brunette NG vocalist a withering glare which the vocalist seemed to clearly be anticipating. Ryuichi responded with an innocent and questioning look before breaking into a wide grin and wagging his index finger at him.

_'You'll see_' was the unspoken message Ryuichi seemed to tell him and with huff, Eiri turned his attention back on the stage, agitated and, at the same time, partially interested with the distinctly familiar tune. At that moment, he felt like he was being exposed to a _butchered_ version of an old nursery rhyme he _knew_ but whose title he couldn't put a finger on.

_"It's for someone special."_

ooo  
ooo

It wasn't hard to spot him, he had done this so many times before the action had become something of a natural instinct. He hadn't been expecting him tonight, however, but he was there, standing quietly at the back stealing Eiri short glances while watching the band onstage perform.

"Mnmm. Tatsuha-chan." Ryuichi whispered as he nuzzled at his lover's cheek, "Have to go do something." He sat up straight on Tatsuha's lap and then smiled, both hands on the dark-haired Uesugu's shoulder, "Would you take care of my stuff for me, no da, Ta-chan?"

Tatsuha beamed at him automatically, wrapping his arms around the singer's slim hips and responding with a quick peck on his lips and smile. "I'll handle Aniki for you alright," Tatsuha paused and then his eyebrows furrowed. "What's wrong, Ryu-chan?" The Uesugu prompted suddenly and Ryuichi shook his head and grinned impishly replying, "It's nothing, no da. Just saw…" his grin widened, becoming more, positively, predatory while his voice took that familiar deeper tone, ".._familiar_."

Ryuichi wiggled out of Tatsuha's grasp and got off his lap, ignoring the pointed, scrutinizing looks Eiri directed at him when it became clear he was going somewhere else. He turned sharply to address the novelist with a defiant grin, "Going to the restroom, no da, unless… _you_ were thinking of something else." The look _that_ elicited on the novelist face made Ryuichi snicker inwardly and, without elaborating further on that, gave Tatsuha a wink before walking to the direction of the entrance, where he knew Tohma stood in waiting.

ooo  
ooo

"Where'd Sakuma-san go?" Yukito found himself asking as he emerged from the backstage door while Ruka stepped forward from behind him meaning to point out where the NG vocalist was, or _on_, only to find the vocalist gone, just like Yukito had found.

"That's odd, chibi, he was just there last I looked—" The guitarist shrugged and then seemed to be scanning for something – moments later he stopped and seemed to grin, "Ah, don't worry, I'm sure that boytoy—" Yukito's eyes widened and he stared at Ruka, who momentarily paused his sentence by defending his used of the word, "You think I haven't been noticing how Sakuma has that man wrapped all over his pinky finger?"

Yukito opened his mouth to say something only to close it again at the hint of a very, very amused and _knowing_ grin on the redhead's lips, one that told him any word that came out of his mouth would ultimately destroy him. He shut up then and frowned glumly at the redhead for a few moments until he felt a hand on his shoulder.

"Fujiwara." It was Takagi who greeted him with a smile and a pat in the back. "The song was excellent. The judges—" he slightly craned his neck to acknowledge the group of teachers in the special table, "—gave you 9s and 10s for that song. And the rest of the performance was superb too." Takagi paused and then seemed to look for something behind them, "Where's Takahashi?" The teacher asked suddenly. Yukito frowned and looked back, realizing suddenly the vocalist wasn't right behind them as he thought he was.

"Uh…"

"He's at the back fixing himself up—" Ruka supplied suddenly before Yukito could say anything else. He gave Yukito a grin that undoubtedly said 'leave this to me, _chibi_' and then continued. "You saw his get-up at the stage just now – it took a lot to make him roll his shirt up a bit you know, let alone get him out of that coat of his…"

Takagi grinned and then shook his head at the redhead, "I knew the show of skin there had to be your idea." He stopped and then turned his head briefly around, Yukito saw one of the teachers from the table – a female one- waving at Takagi, "Ah, anyway, I've got to go – you've got stuff to do with Sakuma-san too, don't you?" The teacher didn't wait for a response, "Well, get going – just remember you have classes tomorrow."

"God, Takagi, you just _had_ to remind us—" Ruka grumbled while Takagi laughed. "Come'n chibi—" He grabbed Yukito by his arm and began pulling him away, "—Let's go and get things finished with Sakuma Ryuichi and Nittle Grasper once and for all."

Giving Takagi an apologetic look, Yukito allowed himself to be pulled away towards Nittle Grasper's table.

ooo  
ooo

Ryuichi took slow, deliberate steps and then stopped when calm, calculating amber eyes moved to acknowledge his presence by watching him very closely. With a cool smile and a small huff he place his hands onto his hips and returned the calculating gaze the man before him gave.

"Tohma." Ryuichi spoke in a sly low voice that challenged. "What are you doing here?" The question was crisp and clear and Tohma smiled at him.

"I'm watching." The NG President answered in quiet voice that was no louder than it needed to be heard by the vocalist.

"Watching Eiri-san?" Ryuichi questioned and then looked up, as if the corners on the ceiling had suddenly become intresting. He snapped his eyes back onto Tohma's dark form and then took several steps forward. Tohma was smiling, though his lips were thin and the smile was obviously forced.

"You're watching _him_, aren't you?" Ryuichi interjected quietly, nearly hissing as the words finished in his lips.

The music was loud and its beat maddeningly fast as Tohma very slowly turned to face Ryuichi.

"What do you want, Ryuichi?" Tohma asked in a mild, but slightly clipped tone. Ryuichi shook his head and smiled.

"What do _you_ want, Tohma?" Ryuichi asked back, smiling wider. His eyes narrowed and he 'hmphh'ed then ran his fingers through his hair, ignoring the locks dampened by sweat. Tohma gave him a look, his own amber eyes narrowing before swiftly turning towards the exit. With the one step Tohma took closer the exit, Ryuichi answered with two rabid steps forward.

The vocalist immediately shot forward and grabbed the President's arm in his hand.

"_To-chan_," Ryuichi whispered, using an old affectionate name to somehow catch the man's attention, even break down through the ice that seemed to be between an old friend and him now. "_What_ have _you_ **_done_**?" Ryuichi hissed, the question coming slow in sold words.

Ryuichi heard the harsh intake of breath from the blonde's part and let go when Tohma shook his hand away. Tohma began scaling the stairs towards the exit while Ryuichi stood at the foot of it, watching him and waiting.

Finally, the NG President stopped and turned around to face him. His face was calm, devoid of emotion by Ryuichi knew the blank on Tohma's face meant more than any of his smiles sometimes.

"Say sorry to him for me, Ryuichi." Tohma said quietly and then looked away, breaking any form of eye contact with the vocalist. "I didn't mean for it to happen that way…." Then Tohma paused and seemed to contemplate on something… but finally, he spoke again, "I only wanted him to be happy."

Ryuichi frowned, realizing the brunt behind those words and yet, not quite understanding them. "Tohma." He called out to stop Tohma and maybe even implore the him to say more but the NG President merely smiled at him— a small, unreadable smile Ryuichi didn't know what to associate with.

"Don't tell him I was here." Tohma said with a smile, ignoring the 'Why's that formed on Ryuichi's mouth, and walking away, disappearing into the world outside the dark club.

Ryuichi stared at the empty space where Tohma stood for a few long moments, before finally turning around and heading back to their table. He smiled quietly, putting on his usual mask of cheerfulness back in its place and readied himself with his plan.

The nearer he got to their table though, the more he realized how things just got a lot more interesting. For one, even in the distant, the usually calm Yukito looked positively livid and secondly, the thatch of blonde hair on the floor was no ordinary thatch of blonde hair – it was Yuki Eiri down on the floor, where, Ryuichi thought, he'd wanted to see the man on for a few years now.

Ryuichi smiled, a wide, deeply satisfied smile that reflected the perverse pleasure he derived from the sight.

ooo  
ooo

Yukito was ready for anything. He had been mentally preparing himself the whole day for what Ryuichi had in store for him – and he wasn't expecting much, nothing, that is, that would make him deeply regret accepting the deal. But there it was; something he hadn't been prepared to see was sitting in the NG-reserved table looking very, _painfully_, familiar.

He took a slow, deep breath before letting the first word that came into his mind out of his mouth with the least contempt he could allow himself to say it with. He eyed the blonde darkly, very darkly as his eyes dangerously narrowed.

"_You_." He hissed slowly.

There was an awkward silence between the group, with Noriko arching an eyebrow to look at them back and forth. "_You…?_"

Finally, Eiri seemed to recognize him after a few moments of very confused staring. His eyes narrowed dangerously and he rose from his seat. "You." He echoed, though with less contempt and more amusement.

"Aniki?"

"Eiri?"

"_Chibi, _it was him?" Ruka asked quietly, sounding very much perplexed by the thick tension that had, somehow, suddenly materialized before clogging the air about the group.

"Yes, Ruka, that was him." Yukito said calmly, not once removing his eyes from the blonde.

Eiri arched an eyebrow and then suddenly grinned, he folded his arms and with what seemed to be relief, spoke. "So that's why the song was so familiar – it was the one you were working on."

Yukito visibly froze. Eiri stepped out of the table, "Tatsuha, he looks like Shuichi and certainly does have a gift –"

"Aniki…I think you should stop… eheh." Tatsuha whistled and began edging away from the novelist.

"—for bad lyrics but—"

Before Eiri could finish the statement, Yukito sprung forward agilely, springing his right arm before finally delivering a blow straight at the handsome novelist's face. Gasps sounded and, somewhere behind Ruka, Juni emerged, hands clasped at his open mouth in disbelief. Yukito couldn't be more proud of himself for having elicited that kind of reaction, but he had to show the arrogant blonde he wasn't easily stepped on like that. He'd had his share of fighting – more than enough, maybe, for someone like him – and he wasn't about to let the guy talk down on him, or _anyone else_, for that matter.

"I," Yukito began, "should have driven over your ungrateful, arrogant body, broken your bones underneath my wheels and left you for dead, on the road."

The novelist glared up at him, amber eyes dangerously narrowed while Yukito merely smiled, noticing the thin trail of blood down the blonde's nose. Behind him, Ruka was beginning the long process of getting him off this problem, but he didn't _care_. It was the least of his problems – his _problem_ was right in front of him.

The blonde 'hmpph'ed as he picked himself up the floor and continued glaring, beginning a contest of sorts between them. The contest spanned for no longer than a minute. Ryuichi immediately came in between them, smiling widely, deeply amused.

"Congratulations, Yuki-chan!" The NG vocalist announced cheerfully, holding a snicker or two back, "You just punched the great Yuki Eiri-sama square on the nose!"

ooo  
ooo

_The lone notes from the piano echoed across the living room as he entered it, padding across the floor, carpeted and wooden, in silence, wary of disturbing the man on the piano. His wariness was for naught however, when the man stopped playing and placed his hands on his lap in dejected silence. He thought this was the man's way of acknowledging his presence, however he had determined it, and spoke._

_"Seguchi…san?" He asked hesitantly and was slightly surprised when the other turned his head to his direction with a sense of disorientation. It became apparent to him that Tohma hadn't in fact noticed his presence until he spoke._

_"Fujiwara, not asleep yet?" The man asked softly, turning around on his seat and giving him a soft smile. _

_"Can't sleep." Yukito whispered and then paused, hesitating._

_"Nightmares again?" _

_Yukito nodded and then pushed a lock of brown out of his eyes. "The doctor told me I could increase my dosage – but I really don't want to." He looked down and eyed the carpet beneath his bare feet._

_"Don't tell Ai, Seguchi-san." Yukito breathed. _

_"I won't." Tohma said reassuringly before standing up and then walking towards him. He stopped in front of Yukito and looked him in the eye before encasing him into a gentle hug. "I won't." The hug tightened but Yukito didn't complain a bit._

_"That song, what was it, Seguchi-san—"_

_"Tohma.." The man interrupted suddenly, "Tohma-kun."_

_"Tohma-kun?" _

_"Yes." Tohma smiled and was silent._

_"What was that song?" Yukito continued, finally asking his question. Tohma didn't reply for the longest time and Yukito tugged at his arms to remind him._

_"It's a song.." Tohma began, smiling, before finally breaking the hug. "A song I'm doing for someone important." He laughed bitterly, "I can't finish it after all."_

_"Who is it for?" Yukito asked quietly. Tohma was thoughtful._

_"Someone important." Tohma paused, "…Yuki."_

_There was a pause and then Yukito smiled. "I can help you finish it." The brunette offered, "Then you can tell me who it's for." _

_Tohma smiled._

Maybe.

-oooo-  
-ooo-  
-o-

A/N: With more than six months of wait (has it been that long) I have reviews to answer to? I actually am v. ashamed of myself for being unable to finish this chapter for months, even with 2000 words into it when I posted fifteen. Bad me. But what is done, is done. I'm trying to straight the plot in my brain as I type this down. Let's do a recap of the baddies/suspects now, shall we? To refresh readers and _my_ memory.

Tohma: He seems to be on the top of everyone's hate/suspect list. He obviously knows something we don't. And probably had something to do with it but whatever it is, and whether or not he's innocent, he's involved on some level, or so it seems.

Taki: Yup, second on the baddie food-chain. He was surprised to see Yukito – was he in any way connected to his death? Better yet, is he connected to what happened to Kyoko? He _was_ around the area when it happened. He wasn't in good terms with Shuichi to begin with, what's to know he didn't decide to get back at the pink-haired-bundle of joy with something worse? He did orchestrate a rape before… so what's stopping him from committing murder? Tohma?

Kyoko: No really, why is she so hell-bent on finding out who killed Shuichi is, anyway? ;O

Ohya : He may not be the mastermind, but he's in the whole thing. He hid the footage for two years, almost. Why didn't he just destroy it? What did Tohma make him do?

Takumi and Setsuna: Why did they cover up the reality behind the 'accident' that almost killed Kyoko?

And the whole plot rundown so far?

…I'll get back to you all on that one later.

And finally, I know it sucked, but... suck : D I seriously am trying my hard on this so, everyone, be patient yet. :-) I haven't given up on it... yet.

(currently reading **Somewhere in Between** by **Swordy** whenever I can, **Spiral Falling** by **Becca Amon** -sp? I adore her :O- **Animal X,** which isn't a fanfic but a clever (shounen-ai) manga by Ami Sugimoto and... a ton more of other stuff.)

: 3


	17. A Little Hell

Disclaimer: Gravitation does not belong to me. Ne, I doubt Gravitation would be as good if I owned it anyway. I'm not making any money out of this either and am just borrowing its characters….

A/N: Because it's late and I have work tomorrow and I really, probably shouldn't let this thing sit here any longer because my muses will go into idle mode again – I'm gonna post this Yup. Not much to say except I worked on this on and off and had a bit of a problem trying to get the chars to work with me (more OOC alert XD!).. Ryuichi was a darling though so, yeah, even _he_ surprised _me. _..Evil bunny. Um… yeah. I know.. um, I'm slow.. but.. support and comments would make me feel happy and inspired and so very, very grateful! So, til' next time!

By the way, while my website is still in the works… the fanart section is somewhat fully up and should any of my readers (insert cricket chirping here) want to check out my fanart (I draw Yuki-related fanart too XD!) then head over to my profile (fanfictionNET one) to get there… And finally, wow, um… I start school again on… uh.. next week? Moving across the world to a Western country is tough. I miss Macau…. _sigh_. So if anyone's wondering _why_ the long wait – would moving across the world count? XD

And finally, _finally_, again; A big massive thank you to all those who reviewed my last chapter. As.. uh, promised, I've put up a mini-summary of what's happened so far but you know I purposely left out some teeny-tiny details. Thank you everyone :D You all keep me from giving up from _ever_ finishing this thing and… yeah… Muu-chans and Cookies for everyone!

PS, Working on polishing up **Cure**'s epilogue too so… yeah..

(You do know this isn't edited yet right? Right? Good. :D)

-o-  
-ooo-  
-oooo-

Seventeen: A Little Hell

-oooo-  
-ooo-  
-o-

_"Congratulations, Yuki-chan! You just punched the great Yuki Eiri-sama square on the nose!"_

Eiri watched his assailant's jaw drop and stay there for what seemed to be five whole minutes. It would have been comical if not for the blonde boy's uncanny resemblance to Shuichi. Fear was written all over his face. Not this, he thought grudgingly as he pushed the thoughts about Shuichi to the back of his mind. He noticed the same mixture of surprised and fear on Yuki-chan's companions and decided something was most definitely up. It also concerned him.

"Mmm, So good to see you all getting along so well so quickly, no da!" Ryuichi chirped in an almost extremely nauseatingly cheerful voice coated with thick sarcasm. He clapped and walked up beside the blonde boy with a wide grin before turning to Eiri.

"Yuki-_san_ meet Yuki-_chan_, your host for a whole, whole—" he spread his arms out to emphasize with a devious glint in his eyes, "…_whole_ _week_." The brunette vocalist then turned to the blonde boy as he made a gesture towards the novelist, "Yuki-_chan_, meet the infamously _cranky_ Yuki Eiri­-san, no da!"

Yukito shut his mouth and swallowed hard before pointing frantically at the blonde novelist. "Not him. He's an ungrateful jerk…ass bastard!"

Eiri scowled, deeply displeased, and wiped the thin trail of blood under his nose with his fingers. Then he turned sharply towards the N-G vocalist with one goal in mind; _retaliation_.

He subjected Ryuichi with the best death-glare he could muster and though only Tatsuha seemed affected by it, he continued glaring. "What?" Eiri growled deeply while his mind began reading into the older man's hidden intention. _Not a blonde bombshell_, he mused darkly, _a Shuichi-wannabe_. "So you intend to… _set me up_ with…."

"_Set up_?" Yukito started, face contorted by confusion. Before he could continue, Ryuichi quickly had an arm wrapped about his shoulder with a light, playful laugh. Eiri frowned at that, half-hoping the boy realized what his 'friend' had really gotten him into.

"Well, I guess I'm driving Chrysanthemum-kun(1) to the nearest recycling center tonight… no da." The NG vocalist said suddenly in a deep, disturbingly serious voice that screamed finality. Eiri paled, sarcasm and ill thoughts set aside as his attention was returned to his laptop in captivity. It took a few long moments before realization hit about the NG-vocalist knowing about his laptop's… name. After it did, he managed to push his laptop's well being aside to cast his brother a warning look that spoke volumes about the price of betrayal in the Uesugi family.

"Chrysanthemum…kun?" several people beside in the crowd murmured and Eiri hoped nobody understood the meaning behind the innocent name. He glared back at Ryuichi who met his glare with an innocent, doe-eyed look.

The brunette NG vocalist grinned mockingly and when he did Eiri realized he had no choice.

That was, _unless_, he wanted months of work going down the drain and his editor appearing on tomorrow's newspapers as his _murderer_.

Uesugi Eiri had no plans of dying at twenty-six, even if he had enough angst and cigarette sticks to drive himself to an early grave.

ooo  
ooo

It had been two whole days since Tohma last talked with Ryuichi, let alone _seen _him. The incident back at Nocturne had things going very hostile between, so Tohma _felt_. He was naturally adept at figuring out the why's and what's behind people's actions. When the brunette N-G vocalist kept on _disappearing_ and making excuses to escape mandatory band meetings with him and their producers and whatnot, he knew it had to have been because of their little exchange back at Nocturne. It worried him slightly that their long-standing friendship was on the line though the more 'resilient' side of his was more than ready to discard another friend.

He was naturally, rather pleasantly, surprised to find Ryuichi in his office with Kumagorou, with its owners aide of course, busily tapping away on a very familiar looking laptop on his desk.

"Tohma-_kun_! _Good morning_, no da!" Ryuichi chimed in a sing-song tune. Kumagorou stopped typing and gave Tohma a very happy and enthusiastic wave courtesy of its owner then resumed typing with its soft, brightly pink paws.

Tohma said nothing at first and walked towards his desk. He left his attaché case beside it and then finally managed a smile. He greeted his friend tentatively, "Good Morning to you too… Ryuichi and.. Kumagorou."

"Kuma-chan!" Ryuichi corrected and the pink plush suddenly stood up, arms in akimbo, to emphasize this point. Tohma smiled, apologetically while his businessman-self began wondering the damages a fully expressional Kumagorou could do.

"Ahh… yes.. yes, _Kuma-chan_." Tohma said, correcting himself humbly with a light smile as he sat down in his office chair. Kumagorou merely began typing into the laptop again and, Tohma noticed, he was typing something over and over judging by the almost methodical strokes on the laptop keyboard. With Ryuichi's attention fully on commandeering his pink plush of doom, Tohma allowed himself to let a tiny frown go by unnoticed. He was wary. He knew Ryuichi was here for a reason and with all that was happening in the past few days, he had every right to be _wary_. With reporters and the press suddenly interested on a cold, stale case over again and people calling in trying to make him 'spill the beans', as one detective put it….

"Ne, _Tohma_-kun!" The vocalist whined playfully and when Tohma snapped his attention to his friend, he found one big, bright, pink Kumagorou waving at him from behind the laptop and no Ryuichi in sight. He suppressed a sigh and smiled.

"Yes?" He clasped his hands together on the desk and drew his attention towards the plush, all the time pondering on why the laptop looked disturbingly familiar.

"Is this how you type, no da!" Kumagorou asked, placing a paw over one of its cheek to convey a thinking expression before turning the laptop around. What was displayed on the monitor promptly made the blonde executive frown as he slowly, and calmly, read out the English words on the screen with squinted eyes.

"fuckhole." Tohma read out in a monotonous voice. He took a deep breath while Kumagorou nodded happily.

"Uhn! So Kuma-chan did right! No da!" The pink plush began dancing behind the laptop giddily to the parapara version of _Shining Collection_ Ryuichi had suddenly begun humming to. Tohma finally sighed and was just about ready to break out his first round of contracts to sign and papers to go through when he finally noticed a small rectangular stuck on the laptop's monitor frame.

It took some squinting and an urge to reach for the reading glasses he kept in the second drawer of his desk but very soon he was able to recognize the tiny blob of yellow and pink in it. Shuichi and Eiri. He frowned deeply, in thought, and finally asked.

"_Kuma-chan_," He said slowly in an even tone, "_What are you doing with Eiri-san's laptop?_"

The answer came in the form of a simple, very cutely said, sentence as Kuma turned its beady-doe eyes at him. "I'm kidnapping it, no da."

Tohma licked his lips, appalled, and he leaned forward and smiled sweetly. "Kuma-chan, why are you _kidnapping_ it?" He leaned closer and, if possible, smiled even wider, "You do know Eiri-san needs it to _work_, right? Kuma-_chan_."

Kumagorou nodded slowly by its owner's guidance and Tohma found his patience being _tried_… by a plush toy. The reporters and tabloids were going to have one juicy morsel if they ever _had_ a chance to see this. If they ever had the chance, being the keywords.

"But, Yuki-san doesn't do anything but write trashy novels, no da, and boobies and—" The pink bunny plush looked down, sheepishly while its paws covered the spot between its legs. Tohma said nothing about the action and the hand that was putting the small bunny making it move. "…peepees." The word came out in a bare whisper, very much in the manner a small three year old would talk about touchy things like girls and cooties.

"Ah." Tohma reached a hand out and placed it on top of the laptop, "But that's not very nice, now, _Kuma-chan­." _He pushed its lid down, ignoring the way those beaded eyes seemed to fix onto him watchfully, and moved to pull it to his direction.

"But if I didn't kidnap _Chrysanthemum-kun_—" Kuma-chan placed two paws on the laptop in a mock-attempt to stop the action. "Yuki-san wouldn't be able to entertain _Yuki-chan.. no.. da_." The plush's voice dipped into that of its owner's serious voice. Kumagorou fell onto the desk, lifeless, as the hand that had operated it was planted firmly onto the laptop.

Ryuichi smiled calmly at Tohma, nearly mirroring the smile the N-G President presented him within seconds. Not one to be overcome by surprises, Tohma sat back, deep into his chair, maintaining his cool poker face. He let the vocalist pull the laptop away from his reach, not bothering to waste effort at something that would end in futility.

Tohma took a deep breath and clasped his hands together, "What are you doing with Yukito?"

Ryuichi arched an eyebrow, smirking. He licked his lips and sat on top of the Executive's desk before carefully placing Kumagorou in front of Tohma in a sitting position. "Why are you so worried, Tohma-_kun_?"

Tohma's lips spread into a thin line before curving into carefully crafted smile. He stared the vocalist straight in the eye and his amber eyes only narrowed ever so slightly. "Because, maybe, I know something you don't."

Ryuichi's eyelid dropped, just slightly, to show his disinterest as he eyed the blond executive. He frowned, thoughtfully, and then swiped Kumagorou off the blonde's desk almost possessively before pressing it tight into his chest.

"Hmm.." Ryuichi pouted and eyed Tohma darkly, becoming the persona he usually reserved for singing. "_Tohma-kun_," he drawled, mocking and playful at the same time, "I'm making Yuki-_san_ stay with _Yuki-chan_ so he can convince Yuki-_san_ to go to Mika-_san's_ little family dinner—" He paused and laughed before letting his voice dip deeper. He leaned forward until his face was mere inches in distance with the executive's, "Sounds _familiar_… no.. da?"

The smile on the executive's lips spread wider and remained as he tilted his chin upwards to gain a leverage of sorts to the vocalist. Once their eyes were almost completely aligned with each other, their warm breaths mingling, he let the smile drop. A grim, thin frown replaced it.

Tohma narrowed his eyes, shooting the vocalist a deadly warning, and then smiled. "If you do anything, Ryuichi, you'll have to answer to me."

The vocalist looked at him, studying his face, his frown. Then he smiled, leapt off his desk, and began walking away with his back on the NG President. With Yuki Eiri's laptop in one hand and kumagorou in the other, he waved back to his blond friend with the plush.

"Your secretary, no da!" Ryuichi chirped, back to his normal self and, sure enough, the mahogany doors to Tohma's office opened, revealing one slightly flustered brunette dressed in typical office-lady manner. There were numerous yellow and pink sticky messages stuck to her fingers and she stopped to bow deeply at Ryuichi before striding towards her employer in her high heels.

Ryuichi craned his head slightly to give him a wink before finally stepping out of his office, the doors closing behind him.

As soon as the doors closed, Tohma turned sharply to his secretary and began to calmly lay down orders. "Amori-san, I want you to call Kanada-san." Tohma spun his chair around and turned his attention towards the glass wall behind his desk. He stared out in the distance, deep in thought as he began the process of re-evaluating his plans' effectiveness. "Tell her to call me through extension 704 ASAP."

"Yes sir." Amori replied without blinking as she produced a small notepad and began silently jotting down her superior's orders into it.

"I want more people watching Ohya and Fukuda." He paused and then added, "Make that the whole station and that specific show Shindou-san's story ran in. I want things to be kept as it is without arousing rumors."

"Yes sir!" More jotting down, Tohma didn't spare his secretary a glance as he continued.

"Cancel all appointments after four o'clock today."

"Sir?"

Tohma repeated himself, calmly, "I said cancel all appointments scheduled after four o'clock today." He paused and waited for the jotting sounds to return. "Then reserve a table for two at the Red Cavalier at five."

"Yes sir…" A pause, "Anything else, Seguchi-san?"

Tohma hummed and paused, thinking momentarily. He spun his chair around back again to face his secretary and nodded with a smile. "Yes, Amori-san…. I want surveillance on _Sakuma-san_ and _Nittle Grasper_. Have them watched twenty-four-seven, I want to know who they talk to and when." He paused again and looked down, almost remorsefully, "Bug Sakuma-san's phones too. I don't care if K removes it every other day, or every night, I want one on it stat."

His secretary merely nodded and continued writing in her notepad.

"And then have someone pick a dozen strawberry shortcakes from the bakery a few blocks from here." Tohma sighed and began rubbing the bridge of his nose. "That is all, Amori-san, you may leave."

"Thank you, Seguchi-san." Amori bowed and turned sharply on her heels. She was headed back out when Tohma stopped her. The brunette turned around sharply and patiently waited for his orders.

"Amori-san." Tohma said, "Activate the GPS on Yukito."

"Yes, sir." Amori nodded and bowed again. She turned sharply on her heels once more and was out of the office in a matter of minutes.

Once she was gone, Tohma allowed himself to sink deep into his office chair, eyes closed. He took slow deep breaths and then decided.

This was _war_.

He pulled his cell phone out from his drawer and was about to press speed dial three when he remembered what that line was. He pressed speed dial four instead.

The voice on the other end of the line was strained and somewhat tired but it was happy nonetheless. Very soon, Tohma was inviting the other person to dinner at the Red Cavalier.

ooo  
ooo

Yuki Eiri sighed, even if in his mind he was _screaming_, in frustration. The small black line on an empty white Word Processor window blinked impatiently at him, waiting input; his input. His brain, however, refused to _remind_ him where he had left off in his latest novel and, with Chrysanthemum-kun's absence (kidnapping, to be more appropriate), he simply could not _check_. To make matter worse; by some stroke of evil luck, or a certain brunette's twisted humor, he was in the worst room possible for someone seeking peace and quiet in the whole mansion.

To put simply, two days later after thinking nothing could be worse than getting chewed by his endorphin-pumped editor, he was in _hell_. And if the music currently booming all over the room, seeping through the amazingly thick but phenomenally useless walls, was any indication, he knew he'd _never_ get any writing done in the near future.

He sighed loudly in exasperation and threw his hands up in defeat. "That is _it_!" He declared grudgingly as he got off his seat and, without thought for his new laptop's well being (2), unplugged it. He marched out of the room and, hand rubbing at his throbbing forehead, made his way towards the source of the loud music, which happened to be the mansion's spacious living room a mere room away.

The sight that met him at the living room completely took him by surprise. For a few long moments he stood on the spot, planted to the carpeted floor, as he _gaped_ at the twin DDR-machines set at the center of the room, planked by two loud speakers that literally _pulsed_ to the music. The first time he'd heard the music, Eiri had assumed it was from Dance Dance Revolution. He had seen and heard enough of the demon spawn (countless times, he had cursed its creators) to _know_ music _made_ for the thing. Tatsuha had certainly played it enough in his house as his way of '_consoling_' him and later on just for the heck of it. He had been expecting some game console hooked to the TV, not the machines themselves.

_Never_ the machines. It vaguely had him thanking Tatsuha never hauled one into his house. _Or Shuichi for that matter_…

"Ah…_'Afternoon! _Yuki!" Ryuichi waved at him eagerly, regarding him with a sickeningly wide grin and Eiri momentarily forgot about the music. The N-G vocalist was lounging at one of the sofas and Eiri breathed in deeply before walking calmly towards him. He stood beside the singer and spoke in a clipped tone, "Why are you here?"

"Looks like somebody hasn't had lunch!" Ryuichi giggled happily and Kumagorou appeared from behind the singer carrying a triangular sandwich wrapped in clear plastic. "Here, Yuki-san, have some of mine, no da!" He lifted the sandwich upwards with the pink plush and offered it to the blond who promptly refused it.

"I'd rather not eat anything you eat," Eiri said grimly. "I like staying coherent and _sane_ unlike _some_ people."

"Awww, that's a pity! It was bacon and eggs too!" Ryuichi feigned a look of disappointed but looked to be in no way offended by his comment. He sat Kumagorou on his lap and when he spoke again, his eyes directed to the boys on the machines, his voice was deep and dark. "Aren't they cute, Yuki-san?"

Eiri ignored him quietly and merely folded his arms above his chest.

"The pink-haired one, Juni-chan, likes Shuichi a lot you know?" Ryuichi declared quietly with a devious smile Eiri caught at the edge of his eyesight. Eiri had a feeling he meant that in more than one way but shrugged it off before it could fester in his mind. "He's doing _Shu-chan_ on their Festival…." Ryuichi sighed then and began toying with Kumagorou, "Pity, he doesn't look very much like Shuichi, no da."

Eiri froze at the comment and before he could say anything Ryuichi had broken into a bout of hearty laughter. "So touchy, na no da." Ryuichi looked up and regarded him with a curious look then, "Say, ne, I hope you haven't been fighting with Yuki­-_chan _a lot, no da." He paused and smiled, "Kuma-chan doesn't like it when you fight with Yuki-_chan_."

The novelist rolled his eyes and regarded the singer sharply, obviously _annoyed_. "Don't act like you know everything. You're beginning to sound like Tohma." Ryuichi only smiled mysteriously at him before pouting and wagging a finger at him.

"Nobody knows everything, Yuki-_san_." Ryuichi muttered quietly before licking his lips, "But I _do_ know you had a fight with Yuki-_chan_ this morning. _You,"_ Ryuichi pointed at him, eyes narrowed and deeply serious, "need to stop being _mean_ to Yuki-_chan. _Or Kuma-chan will be mean _too_._."_

"What, are you suddenly his fucking protector?" Eiri scoffed and Ryuichi's eyes narrowed into mere slits as he smiled widely.

"You can say that." Ryuichi grinned and then his voice turned grave as he eyed the novelist with a pair of blue eyes that simply didn't look familiar anymore, "You should be thankful, Yuki-_san_. I'm doing this for _you_." As soon as he'd finished the sentence, he returned to his old childish self and before Eiri could say anything to day, he was bouncing off the sofa.

"Ne, ne, Yuki-_chan—_" Ryuichi wailed, armed with Kumagorou on one hand, "Juni-_chan_, change the song no da! Do that other one with the cars that go _zoom zooom vroom vroom_! The one with ice and standing and loooove no da!"

Yukito stopped dancing and turned around, regarding the N-G vocalist a beaming smile while completely ignoring Eiri. A bead of sweat trailed down from his forehead to the sight of his cheek and he spoke in a breathy voice, "I'm beat," he declared breathily "Sakuma-_san_, why don't you do the song instead?" The bleach blond leaned against one of the railings and paused to catch his breath. He stepped down the machine and ran a hand through his bleached hair. For a few moments, Eiri thought he was seeing Shuichi giving up on ever perfecting his DDR skills.

_"This sucks, Yuki. Sucks very, very much. At this rate, Suguru will beat me!"_

Eiri blinked and turned away sharply, feeling the old barely-healed wound Shuichi left the day he died within him throb.

"Kuma-chan would love to!" Eiri heard Ryuichi exclaim eagerly behind him, "Is Juni-chan up for it!" It was a challenge which Juni, at least Eiri thought it was him, eagerly accepted.

"You're on, Sakuma-san! Hah!"

"Eh, I go for drinks and come back and you're already tired, _chibi_?" A redhead said, emerging from the direction of the kitchen carrying a six-pack of Coke. The redhead, who was undoubtedly the same redhead from that nightclub, regarded Eiri with a light frown, easily reminding Eiri of Hiro's own protectiveness. What was it with them that reminded him of _everything_ he didn't really _need_ to remember? He shot Ryuichi a glare only to find the singer watching and smirking at him knowingly. _Very_ knowingly.

_Yuki-san, nostalgic, aren't we?_ He could almost hear the singer's voice sing in his mind as he read the message in the older man's eyes. Eiri was beginning to see the manipulative counter-balance of Nittle Grasper's Seguchi Tohma in Sakuma Ryuichi. He'd always known the man was a wolf in sheep's clothing but in his current position, he was realizing the full brunt of Ryuichi's deviousness.

What did Ryuichi want from him? Did he want the old wounds opened? For him to stay celibate for as long as he lived because Shuichi was _dead_? For him to _suffer_? They were all laughable reasons but he wouldn't put Ryuichi pass those possibilities. The man was a walking mystery, the type of character that would have even him guessing while writing his own novels.

Eiri knew he couldn't take any chances, couldn't back down without a fight because if he did the man would have him walking straight to where he wanted him to be. The gears in his mind turned, searching for a proper counter-attack.

"Maybe _you_ should start checking your obsessions, Sakuma." Eiri advised the vocalist quietly with a slight smile as he reached for the pack of cigarettes in his pants. Ryuichi stared at him, clearly unfazed but amused by his attempt. "Because last I checked, _I_ was Shuichi's lover. Not you." _And that boy is leagues away from being Shuich,. _he continued grimly in his mind.

Ryuichi chuckled lightly but his lips thinned into a line. He said nothing while Eiri began lighting a cigarette.

"You should have more faith in me, Yuki-_san_." Ryuichi hummed. He turned around slightly, heading for the DDR machines, and gave him a sharp sidelong glance. "I _love_ Tatsuha-kun." He smirked and then playfully winked at him before _bouncing_ towards Yukito and his group.

Eiri scoffed at the vocalist and took a long drag from his cigarette. The music was coming back. The ungodly loud music he'd forgotten during his intense conversation with Ryuichi was trickling back into his ears and making his eardrums _scream_ into his mind. He shot Ryuichi and Yukito one last, withering glare before plucking the cigarette in his mouth and deliberately tossing it onto the carpeted floor.

He trampled on it with his slipper to put it out and hoped it left a very big and ugly black hole on the posh carpet.

ooo  
ooo

Hiro tapped his feet impatiently and sighed, eyeing the unchanging traffic light with distaste while high school girls giggled and jostled each other towards him. That made him smile a bit as he shifted his weight from his left to his right foot and shook his arms a bit (they were getting cramped from the weight of the plastic bags he was carrying). It was flattering to know people still think you're good-looking even when you're all decked up in disguise and come off as anything but an ordinary person. Dressed in a pair worn jeans with holes and tears on it, a plain white t-shirt, and an old, faded, leather jacket, he was leagues away from the image his career had painted for him. Then armed with a pair of plain sunglasses and a beat-up baseball cap to keep his signature long hair up, he was a virtual nobody in the sea of pedestrians.

"I wonder how cute that guy is without that cap and the glasses!" Somebody from the group of girls beside him squealed in a high-pitched voice shortly before the traffic light changed signals and the shrill buzz that signaled the pedestrians' time to cross the road rang across the street(3). Hiro let out a sigh of relief before beginning to move, easily cutting through the crowd of pedestrians with long strides. The bags in his hands swung back and forth as he broke into a sprint across the next road, just in time to reach the other end of the road before the signs changed.

K's apartment complex was a block away from the convenience store and so after being 'chosen' to buy food he opted going by foot. He liked being on his motorcycle, liked it better than riding around in expensive fast cars, but he missed walking around on the streets. It reminded him of the days when Shuichi and him could still go around unnoticed in the crowd and they didn't have too much money to spend on taxi and all those. On bad days, it just reminded him of Shuichi.

Once he got back to K's apartment, he was greeted by the unusual sight of their manager hard at work on the computer while Rage and Kyoko watched his progress eagerly. Noriko was standing beside them, with a frantic-looking Sakano next to her, and she waved at him clearly not as interested in the computer magic K was working like the other two were.

"Sakano-san?" Hiro said as he entered into the apartment, regarding the dark-haired man with a single, arched eyebrow as he closed the door behind him with his foot. He covered the distance between them with long, even strides and once he was on the other side of the apartment, handed Noriko the plastic bags in his hands. Sakano greeted him with a bow and proceeded to push the rectangular, thick-rimmed glasses perched on his nose just as they were about to slip. He smiled at Hiro, nervously as he usually did, and began explaining the reason for his presence.

"I'm here to see how things are with everyone." Sakano explained in a quiet, even tone and the lack of the usual stuttering in his speech bothered Hiro a bit. The producer's eyebrows knitted and he glanced towards their American manager, frowning. "I heard about what happened between K-san and Seguchi-san so I… I decided to… come by and see a bit…" His voice sunk and began to finally stutter, shaking slightly with anxiety and worry. "Needless to say… it's… it's not a good idea to…c-cross Seguchi-san like this."

Sakano began fidgeting with his hands and Hiro nodded slowly, rather disinterestedly as he watched. "We know, or rather—" Hiro stuck up a thumb towards their manager, "_He_ knows."

"I know he.. he might've given you guys a…" Sakano sighed, "Go signal but… I…I…"

"We know you believe in whatever Tohma does," Noriko cut in beside him, placing a hand on his shoulder as a gesture of reassurance. "But," Noriko shrugged, as if to show how superficial the matter was, "At this stage, it can't be helped now… it seems. And I know Tohma can be… low, but he loves his friends."

Noriko turned towards K's direction and Hiro followed her gaze with a slight frown. "K isn't exactly Seguchi's _friend_." Hiro muttered solemnly, knowing very well how practically everyone _knew_ already. Seguchi and the Winchester blond were friends, in the sense that they _used_ each other and took advantage of the other whenever the chance came. K was a little lower on the food chain but that didn't mean he let Tohma push him around easily and that's what exactly keeps them from having the same kind of friendship Tohma had with, say, Ryuichi or Noriko. Or Mika.

"That's what I've been worrying about…" Their producer trailed away and shook his head before giving Hiro an apologetic smile. Hiro understood, of course and found himself grinning as he looked from the Producer to their American manager.

"If anyone can go against almost anything, that'll be K." Hiro told their Producer confidently, "For one, he has the guns and…" Hiro paused and he frowned slightly, "…more guns. You really just can't get rid of K like that, really."

Sakano smiled at him appreciatively, "Ah, t-that certainly sounds… re..reassuring."

"It's time you stopped worrying, Sakano-_kun_." Sakano nearly jumped when the topic of their conversation spoke. Apparently, the blonde American was not so immersed in his work as they had first thought. "_No worries, no worries at all_ – shouldn't be so uptight now, Sakano-kun. If Seguchi-_san_ tries something, I can get the whole Interpol after his _ass_."

Sakano flushed suddenly and turned a bright red. Hiro, who easily picked up the, perhaps, unintended implication behind K's words, suppressed a deeply amused chuckle.

"_That_'s an image I'd rather not see in real life." Noriko cut in quietly and their blond manager arched an eyebrow quizzically before suddenly breaking into a knowing grin. That told Hiro the blond manager hadn't meant the naughty little implication but of course, knew what he'd just insinuated by now.

"Ah, I hadn't completely meant it in that context but," K spun around on his seat, grinning devilishly as he continued about his work, "Seguchi doesn't need a criminal offense to have the Interpol after his ass _that_way"

Sakano choked, loudly.

"Anyway—" K cleared his throat and behind him, his printer began buzzing and beeping. "I have some more information on our first suspect here and then some old news from last year—basically, I printed it out for everyone to look at and have a better picture of anything. This has information from almost _every_ possible source I can get my hands on—"

"Sneaky." Hiro remarked while K grinned.

"_Yup_. This baby's got a wonderful file at the CIA—" The blond manager picked up the first finished page from his printer and waved it eagerly in front of Hiro, "Looks like while I was away, some people from another department had some information on him but he wasn't doing anything suspicious so they decided it couldn't possibly be him or _anything _else."

"And?" Hiro caught the piece of paper waved in front of him and began reading its contents. It read like a typical biodata with information on Fujima Kouji's ranging from height to blood type and Hiro thought the juicier parts had to be on the other papers still being chugged out by K's trusty and slightly-outdated printer. Of course, he knew it was outdated because he and Ayaka had recently purchased a sleeker-looking one from Akihabara a week ago.

"He re-entered Japan five years ago, under a fake passport and K-san only managed to verify that.. uh.. now—" Rage was running through the papers from the printer herself as she spoke matter-of-factly, "From then on, apparently, he's been living under another name and.. doing the whole normal life thing; odd jobs here and there…" she trailed away and frowned, "Months before Shuichi…disappeared… he applied for a janitorial position at _that_ concert venue and got hired."

"Which, of course, increases the possibility of someone else from _that_ concert venue knowing something more about the case!" K declared in a slightly cheery voice, countering the dark tone Rage had spoken with. "He went AWOL afterwards and there's been nothing about where he is now but…" K took that moment to grin at Hiro, "We're looking."

"Looks like you're all real... serious about this…." Sakano said quietly, making Hiro smile.

"Yeah, we are, somewhat…" The guitarist planted his hands onto his hips and sighed. "Hey…" Hiro said, addressing K with an upwards nod, "What exactly was our chance of having Shuichi back alive after we solve this case?"

K didn't look back at him.

"I'd say, since this is Shuichi, a good seventy-five percent," K said jokingly, "He's probably in _Hawaii_ sipping some fruity colorful juice right not unaware of all the hell he's caused us all this time but…. " His voice turned serious.

"Realistically speaking, we have about… nine percent chance of getting him alive at the end of this."

"That's not too much, huh?" Hiro scoffed but K hmmph'ed.

"_ But _we've placed our hopes on much smaller chances, haven't we, Hiro-kun?" The blond told them quietly and they were all silent, speechless, for a few long moments before Kyoko's cheerful voice broke through the silence.

" I'm pretty sure we'll solve all of this." The raven-haired young woman declared, stepping between K and Hiro. "With or without Shindou-san is alive at the end of this we'll _nail_ the perpetuator and give him justice. Isn't that all that matters?"

"No," Hiro shook his head and smiled, "All that matters is Shuichi. Just Shuichi."

And that was all that was in his mind really; Shuichi. If they did solve this case and nail the one behind his_ disappearance_ or _murder_ – whichever it really was – and Shuichi was really dead then.. Hiro knew, he'd rather have lived in ignorance. Better a dead Shuichi from one of the singer's stupid mistakes, than a dead Shuichi from under someone else's hand.

ooo  
ooo

Yukito stared at the ceiling listlessly, idly wondering how someone could single-handedly cause him to be in a very foul mood. He twirled a pen his right hand and pursed his lips. He had tried to make things better for them earlier that day, before heading to school and dealing with all the things he'd had to. He'd meant to patch things up between them, kneel down if he had to just to make sure they could coexist without wanting to just shoot each other in the head. He had been _prepared_. He'd _humbled_ himself and readied himself to submit to whatever foulmouthed words the novelist was going to subject him to only to be completely brushed off.

It made him feel angry, completely and utterly so and he couldn't remember ever feeling like that in a long while.

He grit his teeth and sighed deeply, releasing the breath he'd been holding before closing his eyes tightly. _Calm down, deep breath… yes.._ He opened his eyes once more and narrowed his eyes.

"Just five more days, Yukito-_chan_!" He mumbled in a tiny voice to himself, "Five more days or so and you can say goodbye to the mean bastard!"

"And Ai will come back home… and all will be better… all will be better… " He closed his eyes again and drifted into a light slumber – a very light slumber since the mere sound of the door to his little sanctuary creaking and barefoot scaling the floor easily brought him back to wake.

"Who?" He whispered quietly as he opened his heavy eyes and turned his head to the direction of the door. He regarded his visitor with sleepy eyes.

"I was looking for you, Yuki!" Juni said quietly, smiling at the bleach-blond innocently. The small dark-haired teen had found it fit to somehow drop in for a little sleepover the moment he found out his fiancée was out of town. Yukito was, at first, delighted by the notion of having someone else around other than his rude visitor and the random maid though, he was beginning to think it would be best to make sure Juni went home before the end of the weekend. The blond novelist was having a positively negative effect on him and he knew that…. wasn't good.

"You weren't in your room and I was thinking if you wanted hot chocolate or something—Of course, if you want we can always play DDR again though it's late… just to annoy Yuki Eiri…"

Yukito laughed lightly and rose from his seat, instantly managing a wide smile for his friend. "Makes you wonder how Shindou-san put up with him, doesn't he?" Juni asked teasingly and Yukito shrugged.

"Nope," Yukito said simply and then yawned. He covered his mouth with a hand, "I think, we should have hot chocolate…." He trailed away as he approached Juni and then yawned again. Juni beamed at him and instantly linked their arms together, the topic of Yuki Eiri having been instantly dropped at the mention of hot chocolates.

In Yukito's mind though, Juni's question echoed hollowly, repeatedly, demanding an answer. The only answer he could give it though was a simple sentence laden with thick sarcasm.

_He was probably masochistic._

ooo  
ooo

The whispers were being loud again, mumbling incoherently at near fever pitch, and he regarded the shadows that were creating them with a cold glare. He sat in a fetal position, head rested on his knees, while his hand clutched at either side of his legs tightly, so to keep them together. So, to keep himself still even as the shadows made him tremble and want to run away.

There was, of course, nowhere to run to and the cold expanse of the thick glass wall behind his back was a testament to this.

He took a deep breath and leant back, eyeing the darkness ahead of him differently while a familiar voice rode above the continuous cacophony of feverish whispers and hissings.

"Are we ready to rock tonight?"

The question felt so ancient yet, he knew, one time he would utter it almost every night in front of a hundreds and, sometimes, thousands of spectators all while hundreds of lights worked to amplify his magnified-presence. Looking back, he imagined it was to try and make his humble, earthly body match the same intensity his voice carried. Humble; the word made him smile. He sniffed and closed his eyes, shaking his head in an attempt to take his mind off those useless thoughts. Then he stood up and turned around to face the thick glass wall and to look through.

At first, all that was beyond the thick glass was an endless expanse of darkness but then, slowly, a vision of himself began to form in the nothingness. He was Indian-seated on the floor sporting the same bubblegum pink hair he'd been known for. All around his other self, white pieces of paper were strewn about in disarray. Letters, he thought. He knew.

"Listen to him for once." He found himself whispering quietly, voicing a long forgotten and unheeded advice. Shaking quietly, he placed his palms on the glass wall and leaned closer.

His other self picked up a piece of paper and began skimming through its contents with a mixture of disappointment and apprehension, mouth opening slightly to read in silence. He knew, he remembered what was written on them.

A cold hand slipped around his waist while the other clamped about his wide, pleading eyes.

The whispers quieted down.

-oooo-  
-ooo-  
-o-

(1) This was an old joke at **gravimusemeet** over at LJ. Because, somehow, in my Chinese volumes (I own **Gravitation** in Chinese), in volume 9 (?), Eiri gives Shuichi the title "Little Chrysanthemum" aka, Chrysanthemum-chan or –kun, whichever floats your boat. Being innocently naïve regarding uh… euphuisms, I asked the people over at **meet** and shortly found out about how Chrysanthemum pretty much equates to… butt. So, that's where the nickname came from. I'll leave the _why_ behind Eiri naming it that way to the readers…

(2) Please shut your computers/laptops down properly. Bad sectors are evil and continuous careless unplugging/turning off of your puters can lead to one very dead hard disk. Hence, dead computer.

(3) Over in HK, they traffic signal things sound this big signaling thing whenever it's okay for the peeps to cross the road. It was non-existent in Macau (where I lived) and, I suppose, Western countries but I think I remember watching a Japanese drama and seeing that neat thing… so I decided to put that in. For fun.

ooo  
ooo

Okay everyone, time for the happy recap! Let's try and keep track of what's happened now so far!

We'll start with what we know so far;

- Shuichi was murdered or at least _kidnapped_. He didn't die in the car accident and might not be dead in actuality. Dead or not, Shuichi has been gone for almost two years.

- Tohma knows something and is definitely keeping a tight lip about it. Whether or not he orchestrated it and is seriously silencing witnesses and sealing evidences is still not known.

- The footage (from the live house/concert hall where Shuichi last performed) Kyoko hands to TV Station shows Shuichi in what could have been his last few hours and cements the idea that Shuichi was murdered.

- There were at least two people involved in Shuichi's disappearance, one of which is a fugitive by the name of Fujima Kouji. The other suspect could not be identified from the grainy footage but wears glasses. K assumes them to be experts in this field and has worked on cases regarding Fujima Kouji.

- Whoever was responsible for Shuichi's death/disappearance, wants no one getting close to the truth. This is made apparent after Kyoko barely escapes an attempt on her. Curiously, ASK was in the vicinity when the 'accident' happened.

- Takumi and Ruka conspire to make the attempt on Kyoko's life appear to be accidental for unknown reasons.

Our suspects… sort of:

Seguchi Tohma – Number one on our notorious little list is this cute little NG President. He's made a few visits to important people (Ohya and Fukuda) and laid down some threats, he's obviously kept the existence of the footage hidden up until Kyoko retrieved it from Kyoko and might have made Shuichi's murder come out as an accident… the question is _why_ did he do this? What exactly _is_ his reason for keeping all these evidences in the dark?

Aizawa Taki – Second in the list is this cheeky ASK vocalist. He was in the vicinity when the attempt on Kyoko happened and was relatively surprised to meet Yukito (who looks like Shuichi). It was as if he'd seen a ghost….

Fukuyama Kyoko – Attempt on her life or not, nobody knows _why_ this young woman is obsessed with unveiling the truth behind Shuichi's death. Whether because of a strong sense of justice or obsessive-fangirling gone wrong, she has some very useful connections too… Who's to say she's not discreetly blurring truth and fiction and misleading everyone with her 'leads'?

Takahashi Takumi and Mitsusawa Setsuna – These two teenagers made sure the attempt on Kyoko came out as an accident on the reports but for what reasons?

Fujima Kouji – not nearly susceptible as the others in this list because he _was _one of the two people responsible for Shuichi's disappearance. Not much is known about this man…

Ohya – The poor man may be more random NPC (in terms of RPG games) than scheming plot device but there may be more to him than meets the eye.

ooo  
ooo

Ooh, it's that tiny little space where I respond to reviews again! XD Um. Yeah.

tangerine-asuka - Tange, they'll get back.. eventually…. Somehow, whether in this world or in the other world… j/k X3

CPV-Phantoms-CTFA – Yes, I updated and I know Boo's already read this by this time but… I miss your nice reviews.. _maybe_ that's why _I_ was _delayed_… j/k. Nah. I love you guys… miss you all so much so um.. yeah… wow, so, here, update!

anime-earth – I _will_ work hard! Rawr! I never see you on IRC anymore… me sad. Not much anyway. D:

BlownAway – I remember reading your review and doing a little… dance because it was a long review and long reviews are always yummy. You're right, I'm not a native-English speaker so some of the lines are really... weird. I speak around the same way I write too so.. yup, it definitely comes out weird. And Yukito is one happy Gary Stu – I love him… may read to torture him but, hey…. I just hope he doesn't come off as an annoying Gary Stu because.. sometimes, I get a feeling he's becoming really… really…Gary Stu. Lol. But, half of me wonders how many people think Eiri will fall for Yukito… I hope… not… many? And finally, I think… I don't want to give up on this. :D

Guren – Yup, it has a Gary Stu. And Girls with Guns. Usually, we have Boys with guns, ne? _hugs you_ Thank you for reviewing XD!

Vertigo – Well, it's safe to say that Yukito and Shuichi are two different… people. Yeah. I'd meant for Yukito to be different from Shuichi; you'll find out later how Yukito isn't as sweet and nice and all that perfect at all. Looking back, in chapter 6 (smile be there), remember he was into a fight with people? In canon anime, Shuichi wasn't exactly the troublesome time though in the manga he did start off being somewhat like that… but Yukito.. is or _was_ different from him so.. um.. Not making sense. But, rest easy, I did mean for Yukito to be not like Shuichi… so yeah.. um… next XD!

And as for Tohma… Tohma… yeah, depends on how you take it. You can believe he does… or doesn't… it really won't affect the outcome much. _Giggle._

.at least i know im a sinner. – Thank you! I'm sorry for the long wait then and I hope you're still reading this!

wendyghost - I'm working! I'm working! XD _huggles_

blueangelmaggie1723 – We'll see, Blue, we'll see if Yukito really is Shuichi or if he's Shuichi's long lost half-brother's cousin's husband….. who really is a florist by day and an assassin by night!

magikphoenix – Updated! I'm still working on it though I'm _uber-duper­ slow_. If you want, you can check out my fanart section up in my website because, when I'm not drawing… I usually draw these people and my art can be rather… telling.

!ANA! – And yeah, I know I'm bad but when you can't get the right words you… really can't help it. _Huggles you_. Canada has been nice. You need to email me and make me happy. I'm lonely. _Cries_. _Loves you_

Yersi Fanel – _Apparently_, _LOTS_ of things. My muses decided to add some more.. tiny.. little.. plot devices. Rawr. I hope you're still following this fic because… XD!

Yay! And the end! …..Now, to start working on my next chapter… Muu. uu;;

: 3 _Go read **Animal X**! Err… Yeah!_


	18. Flower of Pain

**Disclaimer: **Gravitation doesn't belong to me – if it did, Shuichi will be long dead by now XD I'm just borrowing its characters for my own malicious ways. I'm not making any money out of this either, just enjoyment.

**A/N:** The new layout bit probably displays the fact that I've been gone for a year… something like that. Here's a Chapter 18, yay! After one whole year, I chuck out Chapter 18! There's been a time lag here, actually. That part was seriously lagging so I decided to skip the buildup between Eiri and Yukito and to leave it to the readers' imaginations. For next chapter, I'm planning on doing Kyoko part and from then on I feel like things will be fast, and short.

I got a new beta btw: the great **HawkClowd/kageotogi** (I hope I spelled that right) and she's helping me very much. I'm learning proper grammar XD! I hope I did her help justice….

Anyway, I hope people still enjoy this fic even though it just takes forever to finish. I promised a lemon but I don't think it's ever going to happen. I can't write lemons, my skills aren't there, so I'm not going to force it. Waah, I'll be honest, I want comments! Gimme comments, by the way, and make this fangirl happy!

**Chapter Eighteen:** **Flower of Pain**

The character in his novel was quickly turning into Shuichi, and it was rapidly breaking something in Eiri. It wasn't the sadness threatening to break wet tears in his eyes again. It wasn't the agony and the loneliness threatening to bleed again like a peeled, bloody ulcer on the skin. What was breaking as the words he wrote formed to describe Shuichi in all his glory and nature and life was his rage. Anger was boiling up from within him and he knew why. He certainly knew why.

He hissed through gritted teeth and slammed his laptop close, not caring for the files within its precious hard drives. Twenty thousand words could go down the drain for all he cared as long as it would take away the filth and disgust. Outside, the sound of DDR was booming in the living room again, seeping into the rooms like angry tendrils made to annoy him and remind him of Shuichi.

"YUKITO!" Eiri roared angrily as he stalked out of the room and broke into a run toward the dancing brunet Yukito had barely turned when a fist slammed into his left cheek, throwing him off guard and across the room.The unique-blue-eyed teen looked up from the floor to a seething Eiri and began to open his mouth to object, but Eiri was quickly kneeling beside him, a big hand clamped over his mouth.

"Shut up. Just s_hut up_, brat." Eiri hissed. "You want to be him? You want to be called _Shuichi, _Shu-_chan?"_ Yukito's eyes widened and Eiri sneered at the fear he saw in them.

"You want to pester me, to be the ball of energy of my life – was that Ryuichi's intention? Or did you _beg_ him to make a way to _whore _yourself to me, Hn. ShuShu?" Eiri leaned closer until their breath mingled. "Do you want to be fucked like him? Do you want to know how I touched him and made him moan?"

The blue eyes that became like a mirror to Eiri's face went round but its owner remained still, deep in shock. A passing thought inside Eiri's mind suggested what could have been going on in the younger man's mind but he brushed it off, unconcerned.

"Then stop acting like him! Stop trying to be all," Eiri allowed think sarcasm to mix with his voice, "_nice_ and helpful, Fujiwara-_san_. Bouncy and…" Eiri paused and calmed himself down. "_Happy_"

The author clamped his hand harder over Yukito's mouth. But this time, having seemingly regained control of himself, the teen fought back and unclamped the hand. The smaller man was hissing, but the punch he threw the author was a warning, a mere play punch to the chest. It was a far cry from the full-force punch meant to bruise and break from several nights before.

"I do _not_ want to be something else! I am _not_ Shuichi!" Yukito yelled, glaring and breathing in long, slow, calming, breaths.

Eiri saw it vividly right in front of him. Shuichi, pink-haired, slim, slender – like Yukito – tossing Kumagorou at him angrily. The words rang in his mind, replacing the words Yukito had just screamed.

_I'M NOT KITAZAWA YUKI! (1) _

It snapped, completely in him. It was a thinning stick that was threatening to break at any moment. _Snap_. It was gone, and Eiri's mind went pitch black.

000

"_I'm trying to convince you to go to that reunion thing, that's why I'm doing this. That's all," Yukito explained in an even voice though the lines of his eyebrows and the wrinkles on his face as he frowned told more. _

Eiri rolled his eyes and sneered, before craning his head and wondering why they were in so familiar a place. "Ryuichi," he whispered under his breath, suspecting the childish man's part in this excursion. The sound of beeping and simulated gunfire was all over the place, reminding him he hadn't been in this place for what seemed like eternity. He had avoided anything that would re-open the wounds Shuichi had left in him. And here he was, standing in the middle of the same amusement park they had gone to in their first date with a bunch of teenagers and a particular one who looked just like _Shuichi himself. Ryuichi was out to reopen those wounds, or something else… something more malicious…_

"_Ryu-chan! Our picture displays the love between us!" the one Eiri had come to know as Juni screeched, in his opinion. "You're going to put it on your cell phone won't you? Won't you? Ne, ne, ne, Ryuu-chaaaan!" _

_He heard Yukito's laughter, completely resembling Shuichi's for some reason. "I'll stick them all over mine. I'm sure Ai will understand." _

_And the stick thinned. _

000

When Eiri regained consciousness, he was on a bed, naked and sweaty. He didn't have to get up to know who the one crying and vomiting in the washroom was and it brought bitter laughter bubbling up his throat. It was pitiful. He stared at the ceiling and with bitter sarcasm thought of how the situation, himself and everything had evolved to this. He couldn't begin to imagine how this happened, but it had. _How? Why? Hahaha…._ In his mind the single-word questions and the hysterical laughter were ringing like an endless alarm. It was deafening and inescapable as it was in the mind – it wasn't a physical thing.

Eiri began remembering another, deeper pain – an older pain. It made him laugh. Somebody had peeled of the long, stitched gash within him. _Pain_. _Pain. _It was flowing through every vein in his body, refusing comfort for even an inch of it. His vision was wavering and then he saw it again – the men – the fat and ugly men that had touched his youthful body in places that should have never been touched at that age. He remembered the way they had taken his innocence and wounded him, carved the long deep gashes in him that would take years to heal.

And then finally, he remembered _him_. The betrayal. And the man he had truly become.

It was disgusting, filthy – the words he had learned in English and Japanese just couldn't describe it.

But the laughter did.

000

_In and out. In and out. Thump thump. _

He could hear them clearly, rumbling in his ears: the sound of his deep breathes, the rapid and irregular thumping of his heart. He watched the brownish-red mixture pooling in toilet bowl and found he couldn't summon any sort of emotion. Even the pain felt muted – there but not quite there. His joints hurt, he had bruises all over and up there, where the ultimate abuse, was a burning pain that refused to leave and let him forget what had transgressed.

_I love you, Yukito_, lapsed with other memories of the like within the sacred bed of natural bonding. What he had done was unforgivable: the defiling of a man's natural processes and the betrayal of his love. He had cheated, not by his will, but slept with another man, a literal man. Not a human being, a woman within the catchphrase, 'man', but a _man_. He was a man too, a teen on the verge of adulthood. He could and should have been able to defend himself against threats like this – he'd punched Eiri and almost broken his nose. He'd protected Anne in dangerous situations. And there he was, on the floor, open legged with blood dried around the cleft of his buttocks, covered with a mixture of his and another man's sweat. He was defiled and de-virginized in another way – Yukito began trembling as he began breaking into another bout of uncontrollable tears – by a man, and he couldn't do anything about it.

Ignoring hygienic conditions, he began rubbing his face on the rim of the bowl as he cried, knowing very well that he looked like a lunatic. "Yuki Eiri…bastard," he whispered weakly and then froze. His body was still racked by small spasms when he slowly stood up and wiped the tears away from his swollen eyes and cheeks. He took a deep breath, staring at the waters with the remains of his vomit He then slowly turned around and, ignoring the difficulty he had in moving his legs, marched to where his assailant could see him outside the bathroom.

"Leave," Yukito began in a quiet whisper, his eyes listless as he stared at the naked blond before him. "Yuki Eiri-san, I don't know what Shindou Shuichi saw in you, but whatever it was… it has made my respect for him even greater. Music-wise, Emotion-wise—" He paused, gritting his teeth, "Physically-wise."

"You disgust me." Yukito finished, and then they stared at each other. He couldn't have possibly seen the metaphoric flower of pain blooming within Eiri to a splatter of blood, or noticed the same betrayal eating through him mirrored in the older man.

The cool and reserved wet fantasy of Japanese women worldwide was laughing, laughing, and laughing harder in the most uncharacteristic way possible. It was surreal, just like the pain he felt in his body now and the events that led to where he was now.

And the laughter continued.

000

In the dark main office of N-G Records, Seguchi Tohma sat with his face pressed against entwined fingers, a picture of extreme concentration.

"Ryuichi," he breathed as his eyes made out the figures on the paper through the light from the wall-window. The familiarity was as striking and shocking Like it had been taken years ago. It was disturbing.

Eyelids closing slightly to calmly study the figures in the pictures, the gears in Tohma's mind began to work. When he had come up with a satisfying plan, he unlaced his fingers and sat up. He lifted his chin and stared down at the surveillance pictures and then lifted his right arm to reach for the pictures with a claw-like hand.

There was a loud rumbling sound as his palm slammed against the pictures. He took a deep breath and readjusted his gloves. His lips straightened into an unusually thin line before he quietly whispered, "Ryuichi, you've gone too far."

000

**A/N:** Thank you for everyone who has stayed with this fic this long, by the way. The fact that you're still reading makes me happy and extremely grateful. Right now though, to be honest, my memory has some holes in them – a result of a very recent hospitalization due to a health problem. But the hospitalization really convinced me I needed to darn well finish this fic, and all my fics in general so… XD Hopefully, in a few chapters, YUKI will close and that will be three years of 'work' on this fic done. XD

Oh and;

(1) I own the manga in Chinese, actually, so that may not be the literal translation for Japanese or the translation in the English release.


	19. Kyoko's Day Out

**Disclaimer: **Nope, I still don't own Gravitation or any of its characters. Tough luck, still just a fangirl. _Sigh_.

**A/N:** Ah, finally! This chapter took a while to chuck out. Not much action here, still, but think of it as a build-up chapter, a necessary evil needed to be written so we can get to the better parts (I hope). Next chapter, possibly, expect a reunion between Ai and Yukito, plus some more details concerning their relationship. Depending on my lovely but fickle muses, we might get some excitement next chapter? Might…

Once again, uber thanks to my wonderful beta, **HawkClowd/kageotogi**. She's so awesome, stubborn me is actually learning! _Sniff_ Her patience is amazing…

Uber thanks, too, to all the people who have reviewed so far too! Soon, we'll finish… after all this time…! You know, some bugging would be nice… j/k

Anyway, I _hope_ people enjoy! (I _hope_ there aren't any inconsistencies too D;)

**Chapter Nineteen: Kyoko's Day Out**

Kyoko never was the studious type. She was a B-student fortunate to have parents rich enough to enroll her in one of the country's finest private schools. She liked spending her time fawning over both local and international stars, listening to music, and comparing boyfriends with each other. She also disliked studying, hated chemistry, tolerated Business and Economics, and abhorred math. Only one thing really got the usually laid-back Kyoko working, aside from the prospect of getting a very cute boyfriend, and that was the thrill of a mystery.

Kyoko Fukuyama, Business Economics major at T-University, was a mystery nut.

She didn't volunteer to help the police solve nefarious crimes like the president of the Mystery Club at the university usually did – she wasn't that insane and she knew she'd rather not be the target of multiple murder attempts – but she did like finding out. In a way, she knew, she wasn't really into mysteries per se but rather the process of finding out the truth.

When one of her favorite singers died in a suspicious car accident almost two years ago, she hadn't given it much thought. The media was in an uproar about it, yes, but she had entrance exams to study for, parents to please, and math especially to worry about. She could not have foreseen the fact that, several years later, she would be restlessly pursuing the truth behind Shindou Shuichi's "murder" with an illegally-acquired gun constantly in her purse.

Kyoko smiled wryly. And she had thought dabbling with commonplace murders was bad. If the evidence she had gathered so far were any indication, she was up against one of the most powerful men in Japan: Seguchi Tohma of N-G records.

"Fu….Fu… Fujika Setsuna… Fujika Ryuuki…." Kyoko paused and stretched her neck bit, feeling stiff, sore and tired. She eyed the seemingly never-ending list of names on the screen and sighed before continuing to read the names aloud again. She had been up all night looking through old records from the hospitals around the area of Shuichi's 'accident' in the hopes of finding any lead at all. There had to have been an injury somewhere that could have required hospitalization – maybe Shuichi put up a fight and ended up injuring either himself or his captors. Kyoko had asked K for a list of known names Fujima Kouji was known to go by and so far she had found three of them in the records.

The only problem was that she was sure Fujima Kouji didn't die seven years ago of severe bronchitis and neither was he an old woman in her eighties suffering from arthritis.

She was about to give up and admit her idea wasn't exactly the brightest – maybe they didn't keep records for that long, even if it was just two years – when she noticed something in the list of names.

"That's… interesting…" was the only thing she could think to say as she checked which database she was currently on and then opened the file. The file itself hadn't been updated for months, but the content it contained was enough to give Kyoko mild shivers.

She didn't know if it was connected to her case, but she had a hunch and she knew instincts were usually meant to be followed.

So she followed them.

000

Later that day, running on a mere two-hours of shut-eye, Kyoko braved the busy streets of Tokyo to meet with Nanae Kasumi in a fancy café that served a mixture of western and Japanese dishes. She had many reasons for wanting to have lunch with the older woman, one of them being the rumored bitter rivalry between Bad Luck and ASK, and the other being the fact that she liked the woman very, very much. Nanae Kasumi was the picture of the successful and independent woman Kyoko one day wanted to be. The ASK Manager exuded an air of sophistication and confidence, but at the same time retained that down-to-earth quality that made her easily likeable.

"You look fine for someone who's pulled an all-nighter," Nanae commented with a smile after Kyoko finished her monologue about how she hacked into the hospitals within the area where the accident had occurred and spent dizzying hours looking into hundreds of records.

"It's the magic of cosmetics, Nanae-san." Kyoko proudly declared as she leaned forward and propped her head up her hands. "Do you think I found anything?"

"A payment for all your hard work?" Nanae asked and Kyoko nodded. "I think you might have found something. It might not have been an equal trade though, I imagine."

Kyoko laughed and nodded again, "Yeah, after that all-nighter…. I think I've read enough hospital records to last a lifetime. It makes me not _want_ to go into the place anymore –" She forked a broccoli flower from her plate and popped it into her mouth. "Thankfully, I'm a healthy girl!"

"That still doesn't mean you won't end up in a hospital if you're not careful," the older woman reminded gently. The reminder brought back memories of the supposed accident at Shibuki High and it sobered Kyoko reasonably.

"You're right about that, too, Nanae-san…" her voice trailed away and she sighed. "That reminds me, Nanae-san… I've heard from people about some ASK-Bad Luck rivalry before… I mean, I guess that was a long time ago, back when ASK was under N-G, but I thought I'd ask you anyway, being their current manager and all…Do they talk, at all, about Bad Luck?"

"So is that your real purpose for inviting me to lunch, Fukuyama-san?" Nanae questioned with a tinge of amusement.

Kyoko blinked and began shaking her head furiously. "I just thought I'd ask you along the way! My main goal was to learn some womanly skills from you!" She paused and grinned sheepishly at the older woman, "Of course, if you don't want me poking around your band, I can take a 'no-comment' for an answer."

"I think I've worked long enough in the business to know the real power of 'no-comments'." Nanae made an amused smile before 'hmming'. "As far as I know, I don't think my band has or had it really bad with Shindou-san and his band. Aizawa-san, clearly, does not like Shindou-san very much. He's made that quite plain, but…"

Nanae paused and Kyoko studied the woman's facial expression. Without a doubt, Nanae was carefully choosing her words so as not to incriminate her clients. Kyoko knew that, taken in context, it would mean Nanae was hiding something, but she also understood that it was just natural. White lies were part of human nature.

"…I don't think Aizawa-san is capable of… indirectly causing Shindou-san's demise…"

"You mean he doesn't have the guts to kill!" Kyoko burst out excitedly, nearly jumping up out of her seat before realizing where she was and quickly apologizing. "Sorry, I just get a bit too excited sometimes— you're right though; Aizawa Taki looks like a wimp! I liked his music some, but he can be cocky…. Anyway, don't worry, Nanae-san, I'm not suspecting your singer!"

"For that, I'm glad." Nanae sighed. "Those boys have had it rough ever since they changed labels –"

"_Why _did they change labels, Nanae-san? I know Taki got into an accident, but…" Something clicked in Kyoko's mind. "Did they get into trouble with Seguchi Tohma?" she exclaimed suddenly.

Nanae looked surprised by the question and blinked slowly at Kyoko. Her voice was quiet, almost careful, as she said "I don't know about that, but-"

"You wouldn't be surprised if they did," Kyoko finished. She sat back into her seat. "Awesome," She muttered and began grinning from ear to ear.

"Seguchi Tohma will be knee-deep in shit if I find evidence incriminating him," Kyoko explained. "My evidences so far… all of it points to a higher power, a mastermind – and who has all the power in Japan to commit murder _and_ get away with it? Seguchi Tohma." She knew she was giving away too much, but the excitement, the feeling that everything was right at your fingertips, only served to bolster her confidence in her abilities. Also, she trusted Nanae to keep everything between them and only them.

Nanae was silent for a while but the slight crease in her eyebrows told Kyoko the other woman was worried. Finally, the es-Na Manager spoke. "You should be careful, Fukuyama-san. That much is all I can say."

"I _am_ careful, Nanae-san." Kyoko assured the woman, "Don't worry."

The topic was dropped there and the following bursts of conversation in-between spoonfuls of dessert became light-hearted and superficial. They talked about the food, the latest trends in clothes, the pop scene and even the latest scandals in Hollywood. It surprised Kyoko that Nanae was able to follow wherever she brought the conversation to – at one glance, the woman seemed uptight and very mature, especially with her choice of clothes which usually meant formal, business-type clothes. It delighted Kyoko and increased her admiration for the woman. One day, definitely, she was going to be like that; she was going to be a successful career woman.

The meeting did not end all too well for both her and Nanae, however. Apparently, all that time, one of Nanae's rivals – a man by the name of Harada Sasuke – had been sitting just several tables away. He had heard snippets of their conversation, or, at least, claimed to have done so, and had a couple tidbits of advice for Kyoko.

"You should try _interrogating_ Yuki Eiri if you want some real answers…. Kyoko-_chan,_" Harada had suggested, all the while giving Nanae visibly taunting looks with his eyes. "You're not going to get _anything_ out of a second party, especially someone who's sworn into silence. After all, our company _does_ have strict rules about talking to _journalists_ like you."

Kyoko denied being a journalist – she really wasn't, she was just _curious_ – but Harada looked unconvinced. She supposed her eagerness earlier had pretty much sealed her identity in the man's eyes. It worried her and she was glad when the man finally left the establishment.

Harada did not, however, leave without a verbal threat to Nanae which only worried Kyoko more. Maybe she'd done something she shouldn't have?

"It's okay. That man... Has been after my position for a long time," Nanae told her as she prepared to leave. "He's been looking for dirt to blame on me but…" She smiled gently. "This won't be much of a problem, I'm sure. Do not worry."

"I'll look for dirt on that man if he troubles you, Nanae-san. Just give me a call... okay?" Kyoko made beating gestures with her hands then said, "Meanwhile, I'll just have to find a way to get Yuki Eiri to talk with me, ne? That man…Harada… he did have a good point."

Nanae laughed. "Optimism is the cure for everything."

000

In the afternoon, after having gone to a lecture in the university, Kyoko went back to her apartment tired and nearly brain-dead. Still, that didn't stop her from contacting K and asking if he knew the blond novelist's home number. It was then that K told her about the whole arrangement Ryuichi had set up with Yukito and Eiri. The American admitted he didn't have the novelist's current home number – Shuichi was no longer around after all so, technically, K didn't have the right to know it anymore – but he promised he would 'work on getting it for her for more blackmailing goodness'. Kyoko didn't know if she should be worried about the American's choice of words but it worked, and as soon as she hung up she began wondering about Ryuichi's arrangement.

She had _no_ idea about that.

Where did Ryuichi get the idea for such an insane plan? What was he hoping to accomplish? Admittedly, Fujiwara Yukito looked remarkably like Shuichi and sounded _somewhat_ like the departed, but the delectably cute boy was far from the spunky Shindou Shuichi. Kyoko _liked_ Yukito very much; she'd swallow him right up if he'd let her, disregarding the obvious age gap and all, but he was _taken_. _Why_ did Ryuichi think he should stick the famous romance novelist with _him_ of all people? She shuddered to imagine what kind of hell the (she heard) temperamental novelist had put, or _was_ putting, the poor boy through…

Then something clicked and she gasped, surprised at her own train of thought. Ryuichi – Sakuma Ryuichi, Tohma's former band member and very close friend - knew something, and it made absolute sense!

"Kyoko, you're a genius!" she exclaimed as she stumbled across the apartment for her cell phone, which she had left in her purse. "_Pure_ genius!"

Once she had the cell phone in hand, she flopped onto her leather sofa and began dialing a number she by now knew by heart. "Hello, this is Kyoko desu!" she exclaimed cheerily as soon as it was picked up. Response from the other line did not come as immediately as her greetings did and she heard, or thought she heard, the telltale shuffling of clothes.

"_Anne_, wait…" It was Yukito's voice and Kyoko's heart leapt. "Uh… hello? K-kyoko-chan?" Kyoko could almost _see_ the bright red blush spread across Yukito's face and wondered, just a little, _what_ was going on the other line.

"Hello, Yukito-_kun_!" Kyoko greeted, pretending not to notice the trembling in Yukito's voice. "I was just wondering if you're free tonight…. Would you like to have dinner somewhere nice?" She knew she sounded like she was asking him out, but Yukito was so vulnerable and whether or not he was currently with his fiancée, Kyoko was determined to get something out of her target.

Yukito didn't answer, but Kyoko could hear his slightly labored breathing and immediately hoped the fiancée would stop and leave her man alone for long enough so she could talk with him properly over the phone. "Ah… Kyoko-chan, I can't tonight, I'm… I'm going out with my fiancée tonight—" She heard someone giggle beside Yukito and rolled her eyes. "If it's important, though… would tomorrow be fine? You can meet me after school?"

"That would be perfect, Yukito-chan!" She hung up and sighed. _Bitch_ – that was her first impression of Yukito's fiancée, whoever she was. She's probably an ugly wench, Kyoko thought. It certainly made _her_ feel better to think so.

"Tomorrow, tomorrow—" she sang in a singsong voice as she blew at her fringe and tossed her cell phone aside. "I guess that means I get a visit to the doctor and Yuki Eiri-sama…. If K gets his number."

"Blackmail, blackmail, tsk tsk tsk." She shook her head and then frowned, realizing suddenly what she was getting into "What's' going to happen when I follow this lead, hrmm…"

She sat up then and began reviewing her evidence and leads so far.

"I feel like I'm close...dangerously close..." She whispered to herself, "I feel like... I shouldn't have done something…"

The nagging feeling would not go away, but she knew, when the phone rang, that K had gotten her magic number.

000

"Are you sure you want to do this?"

Eiri grunted, ignoring the wide-eyed look his editor was giving him. "Yes. Advertise it, shout it out, I don't care what you do, Mizuki, just let them know I'm taking an—" he let his voice take a deeply sarcastic turn, "_indefinite_ break from writing."

"But what about your latest novel? You _were_ halfway through it!" Mizuki exclaimed. Eiri shrugged, placing his hand on his new laptop. He was back in his apartment – the buzz about the latest news regarding Shuichi's not-so-accidental death was finally settling down – but he was tired. Tired of it all. And Ryuichi, the bastard that he was, refused to give him back Chrysanthemum-kun because he claimed the novelist didn't stay as long as he wanted to.

Well, screw that. Just thinking about it – that night – made his blood boil. He hated it. He _hated _being in his body, being in the shell that did—

"At least, can you promise you'll finish your—"

_CRASH_.

Mizuki jumped and realized moments later that that was Yuki Eiri's laptop making small fires on the carpeted floor in front of her.

"_That_ is your manuscript, Mizuki. Now leave me the fuck alone." He tried to say it calmly but knew he sounded much too aggravated, much too… frustrated. "I just need time alone, okay?"

Mizuki breathed in sharply, "Y-yes…I… understand, Yuki-san." He didn't need her to say a speech about how she understood how all this Shuichi-related crap on the news was affecting him. It was much too obvious, and writers, like him, had that amazing ability to read the thoughts behind minimal actions.

"Good."

After Mizuki's departure, the apartment was enveloped in a silence which Eiri welcomed eagerly. The silence gave him peace and made him forget for a few moments that he was alive and breathing in a world that had recently decided it wanted to make his life hell once again. What was it about him that made him so vulnerable to these things? He had thought that after Shuichi, after getting over Yuki Kitazawa, he was finally going to get his semi-happy-ending.

He snorted. _That_ was a silly thought.

And here he was, alone in his apartment, celibate for several days and counting. Hopefully for years to come, too, if he had any say in it. The last time had not been intentional. _It wasn't!_ He was not in control. It wasn't him at all. He didn't do it.

_Ring. Ring. Ring._

The ringing snapped Eiri out of his thoughts and he stared listlessly at the phone on his desk with no intention at all of answering.

"_Hello, you have reached Yuki Eiri's residence. Please leave a message after the beep."_

The message reminded him of the one Shuichi had made for their old apartment. The silly—

"Hello, this is Amano Kyoko. You don't know me, but of course, but _I_ know you. I have a proposal for you, Yuki Eiri-san. If you'll agree to meet with me, I'll tell you aaaall about this theory of mine… My investigation – see, I'm the one behind that videotape and I think Shindou Shuichi really is alive. I just need confirmation on a few of my suspicions……."

"_Are you interested?"_


	20. Prelude to Death

**Disclaimer:** Nope, still not rich enough to buy rights to **Gravitation**. Still just a helpless little fangirl!

**A/N:** Wow, that took forever to write. This chapter is… long. And if it weren't for Eiri's general… difficulty to work with, it would have been longer. It was fun to write, though, and yeah, I'm glad I was able to chuck out a long chapter. (sniffle) Did anyone feel bad waiting for this chapter to come out? I hope people are still reading this… (growl)

Thanks to **tohma4me**, **Hammie-chan**, **caberwolf**, **ashcat**, **Sueona**, and to everyone else who's been reading (and not reviewing?) so far. I forgot to thank **Dee** for her very nice review. That made me feel better about feeling guilty about not finishing this fast enough. Hopefully, we'll have this finished by the end of the year, or at least by early 2007. Lol.

Uber thanks again to **HawkClowd**/**kageotogi** for patiently going through this chapter and pointing out everything from the tiny missing commas to… more heinous acts of grammatical error. You help me improve so much! D;

Next chapter is in the works already, btw, with six pages done so far! Schwa! Expect blood. A lot of blood. (grin) Oh, and point out any consistencies, as usual. I'm such a sloppy writer. XD

One final note (this is getting longer), big chunks of dialogue in italics spoken English. I hope that doesn't confuse anyone.

**Chapter Twenty:** **Prelude to Death**

_When he opened his eyes again, he found himself staring down at his own reflection in the dark water. The reflection smirked at him and extended _its_ arms, breaking through the liquid barrier, and reached out for him. The pungent smell of blood and rotting flesh assaulted his nostrils as soon as the cold hands came in contact with his face. A finger, with nails caked with flesh and soil, traced his lips and made a path_ _along his jaw. _

"_Liar," a phantom whisper blew into his ears. It was quiet, soft, but contained hatred so deep and black it shook his soul._

_The arms wrapped around his still form, squeezing him until his bones hurt, and then it pulled him down, down, into the dark water._

_Blood._

Yukito lifted his face from the sink and stared somberly into the mirror before him. Soaking wet, his face looked tired and haunted in the mirror. There were dark bags around his eyes, a testimony to the sleepless nights he had had ever since the incident with Yuki Eiri.

"No," he breathed heavily, combing the wet hair on his face back with his left hand. "Don't think about that. Don't, Yukito… everything… everything will be fine. Calm down." He began forcing himself to take deep breaths, wishing the anxiety would go away and leave him as he was before all this had happened.

"It happened. But it's never going to happen again. We're all right. We're all right," he told his reflection with a weak smile before reaching for the towel beside the sink and wiping his face with it. Over and over, he repeated the simple assurance in his mind as a form of encouragement and so when he faced the mirror again he was able to smile wider.

"Yes, that's right, Yukito-kun … smile… everything's fine." He fixed his hair a bit and, after retrieving them from his pants' pockets, put on his glasses.

He headed back to his room afterwards.

Yukito's room had changed drastically overnight. Normally brightly lit and organized with shelves displaying his extensive collection of records, books, manga, and other small treasures he had accumulated throughout the years, and walls decorated with posters of Nittle Grasper, Bad Luck and other bands and musicians who inspired him, the room became a mirror reflection of the chaos stirring in his mind. Pieces of paper, overturned books and torn posters littered the floor, reminding Yukito of the rage that had overcome him the night before.

He silently made his way toward his bed and his tired body collapsed onto it. The bed creaked under him and he stared upwards, folding his hands beneath his head. He tried to ignore the darkness and the mess he had made of his room. He didn't have the strength or will to clean it, and he doubted it would help him feel any better. Somehow the gloom, the darkness, and the _chaos_ he had made out of the room perfectly complimented the dark feelings stirring in him.

"Yukito-kun …" he whispered. "Are you okay?" He took a deep breath and moved his left hand to trace the dark mark he knew was on his neck. Idly, he let his fingers move around it in lazy circles. It was the only mark that would probably get him into trouble; the only mark left that couldn't be associated with a clumsy accident down the stairs or a particularly hard DDR session. It reminded him of how he had lost and allowed himself to be… taken advantage of.

He frowned angrily and began scratching at the mark, wondering if he could perhaps scratch the skin off. Maybe then he could come up with an excuse that didn't imply an act of infidelity. He suddenly remembered Ai. "Why are you bothered by it so much, Yukito-kun?" he asked himself.

He supposed… He knew _that_ shouldn't be bothering him so much. He was a _man_. He had been hurt, yes, but hadn't he taken the same damage before? Bruises, bleeding wounds, cuts… Yukito was no stranger to those. Maybe he didn't get into fights as much as he did way back then now, but he had the experience. This was nothing. If he were a woman, and he definitely was not, he had every right to feel dirty, to feel used, and to fear the consequences. Women could become pregnant after intercourse. It was a fact of life, and he couldn't even begin to imagine the _pain_ of knowing you were carrying the fruit of a _rape_. In addition, women, being physically weaker, _slighter_, than men usually suffered worse injuries.

Yukito knew that, despite the bruises, the discomfort, and the internal wounds he had suffered, he would heal and that, physically, it would be as if he had never been assaulted, no – _hurt_ – in the first place. After that, it would be as if nothing had happened. He shouldn't be _bothered_.

But it bothered him, so much. So very much.

Sakuma Ryuichi had been very graceful indeed when Yukito called to inform him of the… fallout… between him and Yuki Eiri. Yukito knew he had failed and that there was no way the bastard Yuki Eiri would do whatever it was that Sakuma had wanted him to do. In spite of this, the Nittle Grasper vocalist assured him that he was not to blame. All that time, as they spoke on the phone and Ryuichi talked about how big a bastard Yuki Eiri naturally was, Yukito wondered what would happen if he told Ryuichi what _really_ happened. He doubted Ryuichi would have been so graceful— so _understanding_ –then.

Yukito would get better; the marks, the bruises – all of that would disappear. He could pretend it never happened and it would be so.

He began repeating words of assurance to himself over and over again, not caring for anything else but the state of satisfaction and calm he knew he _had_ to come to after assuring himself enough. He didn't notice when the door to his room opened slightly or when bare feet padded across the carpeted floor, occasionally making crunching sounds as crisp papers were crushed beneath them.It was only when a warm hand was placed lovingly on his forehead that he realized he was no longer alone.

"Yukito…" Anne's sweet voice was music to his ears and, desperately, he searched for the familiar face of his fiancée. Soft green eyes glanced down at him worriedly. Yukito managed to smile in genuine relief when he finally met her gaze.

"Ai," he breathed as he touched and gently held onto the hand on his forehead. "You're back…" He sat up and brought her hand to his lips, planting warm kisses on her soft skin.

"Bad mood, Yuki?" Ai laughed musically and used her free hand to lovingly comb at Yukito's hair. "Ruka said you didn't come to school today. I was… worried."

Yukito closed his eyes and became still, lips still pressed against her skin. He had completely forgotten about school but now that he was reminded he would be sure to come tomorrow. It wouldn't do for anyone to… suspect.

"I wasn't feeling well," he murmured. "I got into a fight… with someone."

"Oh…?"

"But I'm alright now…" Yukito lifted his head up and placed hand gently on his fiancée's cheek. He gazed at her silently for a few moments, wondering why he suddenly felt so needy – like he needed to touch her, to hold, to _own_ her completely and be… as he always had been before.

It was as if he felt the need to _confirm_ his normality. That… that…

He pressed his lips to hers suddenly and when he pulled away, he gazed hard into her eyes. He said the first thing that came to his mind; "I love you, Ai."

Anne smiled and then kissed him back. "I love you too, Yuki," she said as crawled on top of him. She wrapped her slender legs around his hips, pressed another kiss to his lips and wrapped her arms around his neck.

Yukito began working on the zipper at the back of Ai's dress. In response to this, she leaned forward to teasingly whisper in his ears, "Eager tonight, aren't we, Yuki?"

"Ah." Yukito gave her a nod. Slowly, he peeled off his fiancée's clothing and began kissing along her neck. It was true that most of the time it was Ai who initiated their lovemaking. The older woman was more experienced than he and he followed her lead, followed her wherever she took their bed play. Even when he took charge, when he initiated it, he had always been a bit hesitant; careful. He didn't know much about sex and pleasuring his partner and if he could he would avoid sex altogether and settle with gentle, loving hugging and simple caresses.

Tonight, though, Yukito knew he wanted to hear her cry, to be with her, to reaffirm their connection. Their love.

To make sure Yuki Eiri hadn't changed him any way at all.

And so he did, holding his fiancée gently through the night and whispering words of love over and over as she softly cried and whimpered with need softly through his ministrations. Yukito poured all of his passion into her, _loved_ her, but when they were done the darkness and emptiness took hold of him again.

As he sat watching over her exhausted form, he wondered why he felt so… incomplete. It felt as if he had been aiming for something _satisfying_ but had failed to achieve it. "I love you, Ai," he found himself whispering shakily as he lay down beside her.

Yukito watched his fiancee's sleeping face closely, reminding himself repeatedly this was the woman he _loved_ until sleep claimed him.

000

Kyoko stopped, giving the brunette who was seated in the table beside the café's glass walls one last look, before turning away and heading for her car. The brunette was Kanada Elena, Tohma's former secretary. To be specific, she had been the N-G president's secretary until Shuichi's 'death'. Kyoko hadn't expected Kanada to return her call. She knew all too well how Seguchi could have easily bribed or even _threatened_ the secretary into silence. She had tried anyway, left a message in the woman's answering machine like she did with Yuki Eiri, and left it up to chance.

Midway into the process of opening the door to her car, Kyoko recalled the conversation she had had with Kanada.

"Frankly, I wouldn't have come to meet up with you today, Amano-san," Kanada had begun quietly, shortly after the waitress left their table with their orders. "But I understand your intentions against Seguchi-san. You want to bring him down, don't you? I'm here to defend his name."

Kanada had been adamant about Tohma's innocence, explaining to Kyoko how he was nothing but a generous and understanding employer. "Seguchi-san didn't do anything wrong. When he asked me to resign then, it was to ensure my well-being. He… didn't want me to get caught up in the media blitz that followed afterwards. Amano-san, you know how they practically grilled everyone employed under N-G searching for clues, anything about Shindou-san's death."

"I wonder about why you're so insistent on protecting Seguchi Tohma's name… I'd like to speculate on your _real_ relationship with him…" Kyoko had smirked, noting the sudden stiffness Kanada's body had taken with what she had just implied. "… but really, all I want is to _know_ what happened prior to Shindou Shuichi's death. You know something. That's why you came." Kyoko had pressed her lips together and tried to look as menacing as possible. "I'll be the judge of whether your information incriminates Seguchi Tohma further or _not_."

That had shut up Kanada for a while and she was silent until the waitress returned with their drinks. "Shortly before Shindou-san's death, he and Seguchi-san argued a lot," Kanada had begun explaining quietly. "It was always done behind closed doors, but since I was Seguchi-san's secretary, I… heard more than I was supposed to." Before Kyoko could say anything in comment to that, Kanada had quickly added, "I didn't hear _everything_, Amano-san, but I can assure you; never once did Seguchi-san sound like he… he would have killed Shindou-san over those arguments."

"What exactly were those arguments about, then?" Kyoko had folded her arms and given the lady an impatient look. "Wait, don't tell me – you can't say, can you? Seguchi-san contacted you before I did and warned you about leaking information, didn't he?"

Kanada's face had scrunched up into a particularly sour frown. Kyoko had smirked and pointed a finger at her. "You're afraid, but at the same time, you feel compelled to protect your former employer." She had smirked and decided to add, in a drawl, "It's almost touching, Kanada-san. I'd think you were _intimate _with Seg—"

"That's not it!" Kanada had yelled. Several patrons from the establishments had given them odd glances before returning to their own business, and Seguchi's former secretary continued in a quiet, slightly embarrassed tone. "Shindou-san… had been receiving threatening… messages before. Seguchi-san had been concerned. It is my honest belief that the arguments they had were product of those… threatening messages."

Kyoko had sat back then, ready for what else Kanada had to say, but after her mention of the messages she became quiet. Getting further information from her became difficult and, in the end, all Kyoko had ended up with was the simple fact that before Shindou Shuichi's 'death', he had had arguments with Seguchi Tohma – screaming matches that somehow never got out of hand or left Seguchi's office – and they were because of the threatening messages he had received beforehand.

She had tried to get Kanada to elaborate on the nature of the threatening messages, if they were in the form of fanmail, email or if they had been verbal, but the former secretary kept her mouth tightly shut about those matters.

With a sigh, she got into her car and decided on heading back to T- University. It was high time she asked her almighty Mystery Club president for some tips on investigating.

000

"_So how's the investigation going, Kat?"_ Shinichirou Mamoru, the Mystery Club president of T-University, asked in a slightly amused tone as Kyoko entered the clubroom. Mamoru was an ordinary looking young man in his early twenties with plain black-hair kept neatly in an uninteresting fashion; he was the type to easily blend into the crowd. According to him, not standing out was a great asset when it came to investigating. He had often reprimanded Kyoko for her flashy fashion choices that made sure she stood out at all times as a 'very good-looking woman'. He was busy cataloguing the mystery novels and materials on the shelves at the back of the room.

"_Horrible. I'm stuck, Mamo_," Kyoko moaned. She looked around for a seat and, when she found it, she headed towards it and flopped into it unceremoniously.

"_Maybe I can help you if you _told_ me what you were investigating on. Just so you know," _Mamoru told her. Kyoko pouted.

"_No way! I'm doing this on my own!" _She sighed. "_Still, I feel like I've hit a dead end. I 'interviewed' someone today and… got nothing substantial out of it. Then, there's another group besides me that's looking into it… but really, what can _they_ do when they have the big bad suspect watching them twenty-four seven? Even _I_ can't count on them finding anything I _can't_ find. All I can hope for is them clarifying what I've found…."_

"_Nothing like disappointment on a bright and sunny Saturday,_" Mamoru hummed. Kyoko glared at him. _"At times like this, Kat, you take a break, take a step back and analyze what you have more closely. That or just really take a break."_

"_You're a genius. That's why you can say that." _Kyoko found herself sighing again. Mamoru was a natural when it came to sniffing out hidden plots and agendas and reading people's thoughts by their actions. Kyoko couldn't boast about having that kind of skill. At the moment, she wasn't getting anywhere. She decided to voice that. "_This isn't getting anywhere, Mamo_," she whined. "_At this rate, I'll be stuck in a desk job I absolutely _hate_ for the rest of my life. I don't even want to think about marrying just to get out of it! My life is ruined, Mamo! Everything's just not working right for me now!"_ Mamoru shook his head at her but continued his work with the books. "_I met this cute guy, for example, but he's taken! _Engaged_! At seventeen! Tragic! Tragic! Unbelievable, Mamo!"_

Finally turning around to give her his full attention, Mamoru gave her a pitying look. Kyoko thought his pitying look looked more annoyed and exasperated, though. "_I'm sure you'll find someone else, Kat,_" he said simply. Kyoko folded her arms and glared at the president again.

"_Hey, wait!_"Kyoko said suddenly. "_Maybe you can—"_ She stopped herself and began waving her hands in dismissal. "_Nah, it's okay._"

That got the president's attention immediately. He moved closer to her and folded his arms, looking very dissatisfied. "_What_, _Kat_?"

Kyoko stared up at the president in irritation. "_I just had a silly thought, but I figured I could easily do it on my own, _Mamo_. It's not really… related to my investigation to begin with."_

"_What is it?"_

Kyoko grumbled something about manipulative geniuses before she spoke. "_I was just thinking about looking into… someone's record. Snooping into them. I'm not really sure about him, see, and I don't want my other group to jump into conclusions – that would be bad for him. So I was thinking… if you could maybe, find stuff about him? I know you have your own connections in the police…"_

"_Let me guess—this guy is the one you like but is taken?_" Kyoko tried to look unaffected by his assumption, but apparently, she was very easy to read because Mamoru was shaking his head at her again in a matter of moments. "_The Kat I know is relentless. You don't give a damn about other people unless you like them."_

"_That hurt, a bit. So are you willing to help me, Mamoru? I swear, I'll find some way to repay you or something…"_

The dark-haired president pulled up a chair beside her and sat on it. _"Name?_"

"_Fujiwara Yukito,"_ Kyoko said simply. Mamoru looked surprised.

"_Fujiwara Yukito… that kid engaged to Mizuki Ai, 5-dan_?"#1#

"_You know him?" _Kyoko tried not to look surprised. Mamoru nodded and then grinned at her impishly.

_"You've got more chance of snatching your dream man then, even though I'm thinking he's too young for you. Last I checked, Mizuki was engaged to the heir of a construction company…"_

_"And you know this because…?"_

Mamoru smirked. _"I worked on her case a bit and, you know, because of that… time after time, I check on how she's doing. She got into some… you know, trouble with the press some time ago for being seen with, I suppose, that Yukito-kid of yours. Of course, it never got out of the small Go-circles…I didn't know she was engaged to that kid…"_

_"Wow, you made me feel better, Mamo…"_ Kyoko's eyebrows furrowed suddenly, remembering what Mamoru had said regarding Yukito's fiancée. "_Wait, what case?"_

_"Murder,"_ Mamoru answered readily. He looked up, as if trying to remember the details. _"It was some time ago, maybe four, five years? I didn't really work actively on the case – I was just a high school student then anyway – but her parents had been murdered. It was hard to crack for a while, then we found clues, yada yada—"_ He stopped suddenly and then began frowning as he cupped his chin thoughtfully. _"Come to think of it, it was her fiance's uncle who orchestrated the murder…"_

Kyoko arched an eyebrow. "_Go on."_

_"The uncle had been planning all along, see? The Mizuki family was very powerful, owned some good money-making businesses… all that. The uncle had meant to off Ai Mizuki and her parents so his nephew could inherit all that… But he made a mistake, the marriage was postponed – he thought they were married already… the rest is history. He's languishing in jail now."_

"_Wow,"_ was all Kyoko could say to that. Mamoru suddenly looked interested then.

_"So are you going to tell me what you're investigating? You've got my interest all poked and piqued. What's this guy got to do with your case? I'm sure your little senses are already thinking about the coincidence…"_

_"A bit… I'm actually thinking more about the engagement—"_ Kyoko let herself trail away. _"Maybe I'll ask him tonight – wait a sec."_

She reached for her purse and pulled out her cell phone. At the sight of her handgun inside the purse, Mamoru gave a low whistle. Kyoko rolled her eyes at him.

After pressing the speed dial for Yukito's number, she placed the phone to her ear and waited.

"Hello?" Yukito asked hesitantly, in Japanese, on the other line. He sounded different, a bit tired, much too quiet.

"Hey! Yuki, I'm just calling to ask if you're free tonight? Last time you promised to go out with me but then you said you had to go out with your fiancée and all that!" Kyoko tried not to frown, remembering how he had called her last minute to inform her of a change in his plans. She had been upset for the rest of the night.

"Oh… Fuku—"

"Kyoko-san!" Kyoko corrected him quickly. She heard Yukito's apologetic laugh on the other end and was glad because it seemed like the great Mizuki Ai was nowhere near him.

"Kyoko-san," Yukito repeated after her. Kyoko smiled triumphantly. "I'm not free tonight."

"Not free?" Kyoko tried not to sound irritated by that. This was the second time!

"I'm sorry… I have tables reserved and all…." Yukito paused. "I'll make it up to you sometime."

"You're going out with your fiancée… to a date? Dinner?"

_"Knowing you, you want to stalk him. Try to get him to tell you which restaurant he had tables reserved in and all,"_ Mamoru whispered suggestively. He gave her a wink and Kyoko swatted at him in irritation.

Still, Kyoko found herself following her friend's advice. "So where are you dining with your lucky girl?" Kyoko asked eagerly. She heard Yukito make a small sound of surprise.

"…a restaurant out in the city…" Yukito said quietly. There was something in his voice that made Kyoko frown; it didn't sound like the Yukito she knew. Even if they'd only known each other for a scant week or so, the seriousness and the odd melancholy of his voice didn't fit with the smiling face of Yukito in her mind.

"Worried I'll hijack your date?" Kyoko urged in an attempt to lighten whatever bleak mood Yukito had found himself in. "Y'know, I might want to see how pretty your fiancée is. Sportsmanship, you know? I've got to know what I'm up against!"

Yukito became silent. Kyoko was suddenly gripped with a fear that she had said something inappropriate and it had, well, only made Yukito's mood worse. She gave Mamoru a look of desperation, but the club president only rolled his eyes and shrugged at her.

"Alright," Yukito said finally. "I guess… it wouldn't hurt? I have been unfair too, I guess." Kyoko heard a smile in his voice and she found herself sighing in relief as a result. "If you come, I'll introduce you to Ai."

Yukito proceeded to describe the establishment to her then, even telling her how to get to the place. Red Cavalier #2#; it was a high-class restaurant a family friend had recommended for him. There was nothing special about the place, really, except that it was in a fairly secluded place and the food was superb. The place allowed couples, both famous and not, to truly enjoy a peaceful night together. Kyoko thought Yukito was pretty much making sure it wouldn't be as peaceful and secluded as it should be by telling her how to get to the place. Maybe he trusted her. That made her feel a bit guilty as she laid down the pen she had used to write down the details about the restaurant.

"Maybe I will come and meet you two. I'll make sure not to bug you until you're ready to leave though… I'm nice like that."

"Thank you… Kyoko-san," Yukito said, sounding genuinely grateful. "I have to go now, by the way. I'm sorry about last time, again."

He hung up suddenly, before Kyoko could even say a cheerful goodbye. That made her frown bitterly. _"Something's up,"_ Kyoko declared grimly. Mamoru made a look of mock surprise. "_My instincts tell me something's happened."_

_"I'd help you figure it out, if only you'd tell me what you're investigating,"_ Mamoru offered again. Kyoko ignored him and packed the piece of paper she'd written the directions on and her cell phone into her purse.

_"Over my dead body, Mamo. I made a promise that I'll do it on my own without your great and awesome help."_ She gave the club president a raspberry and headed towards the door. "You know, if you were actually helping, I bet this case would be a piece of cake…" she thought out loud and that made Mamoru grin at her knowingly.

_"I bet I could give you a name now if you'd just tell me aaall about what you've found out so far."_

_"Yes, I bet you could,"_ Kyoko said softly. "Well, I'm off—" her cell phone began ringing – _"oh?"_

"_Oh? Answer it, Kyoko. Might just be your lover boy,"_ Mamoru said teasingly.

Kyoko pulled her cell phone from her purse again, pressed the pick up button, and put it on her ear. A deep, sexy voice spoke on the other line; Kyoko knew immediately this was the great Yuki Eiri on the other end of the line. She tried to keep calm. She couldn't make out what he was saying but she knew he was talking about the message she had left on his machine.

She opened her mouth and closed it again. The words refused to come out. She didn't want to sound like an amateur! That would get Yuki Eiri hanging up on her before she could explain! No, no—

_"Red Cavalier,"_ she suddenly found herself saying, much to her shock. Beside her, she saw Mamoru's eyebrows shoot up in surprise. She didn't just say that, did she? But she did, and soon she was describing the details to him like Yukito had to her only moments ago.

When she finally hung up, she heaved a long sigh and gave Mamoru a very worried look. "_Tell me I didn't just do that."_

_"You did,"_ Mamoru confirmed for her..

She bent down, covered her face and began moaning in agony. "_Yukito's going to kill me! At first it was just me intruding and I promised to intrude nicely afterwards but now… I'm meeting with Yuki Eiri tonight at the same restaurant! I hope they reserved at a much earlier time.. or later— Oh crap, I have to reserve tables too…"_

_"You do realize dates take all night? And your lovebirds are dating?"_

_"I screwed up bad,"_ Kyoko whispered suddenly. Mamoru gave her a light pat on her shoulder and, chuckling, went back to work.

_"Maybe it's time you told me about your investigation?"_ Mamoru tried again after a while, but when he looked over his shoulder, Kyoko was quietly walking away, dragging her purse behind her by its string.

000

Yuki Eiri wasn't sure about what he had just done. He took one last drag from the cigarette between his lips and tossed it down, crushing it under his heel as he glared upwards at the establishment before him. It felt oddly reminiscent of that time with Tatsuha and his pedophilic lover, Sakuma. If there were any sanity, any self-preservation, left in Eiri, he would have decided to turn back and forget about the whole thing; go back to his apartment and spend the rest of the night writing the beginning to another novel – one that would never see the light of day. But Eiri didn't care anymore – all of it dissolved the moment he lost control of himself and became the very thing he had hoped he would never become. In the past week or so, his life had taken a transformation. After Shuichi's death, he had been terribly devastated, but slowly and eventually, whether he had wanted it to happen or not, it became an unchangeable fact he had come to accept. Lately though, life had decided his peace needed to be broken, his beliefs challenged.

Shuichi hadn't just died, he was murdered, right under his nose. Looking back, the thought made Eiri chuckle grimly. He couldn't protect him…

And then life decided to drag him into the life of one Fujiwara Yukito and subsequently turn him into a monster.

He laughed harshly at himself and wondered how else his life could get any worse. He felt cheap, like he'd been dragged from one thing to another like a helpless child, unable to do anything. Not even a child, actually, like a limbless reject unable to do anything else but be dragged and to suffer while scraping along the cold, rough ground. Whatever else life was going to drag him into this time, he thought, he wasn't going to argue. He was going to enjoy it and help himself to destruction if he had to.

"Are you Amano Kyoko?" he asked the high-school-looking girl sitting on the table the receptionist had told was his. She nodded at him with a smirk, but Eiri could see her sweating and trembling slightly at his presence.

He thought about how the girl in front of him was indirectly the cause for a good lot of his misery so far. He was expecting someone like Mizuki – a businesswoman-type from some newspaper firm—not a teenaged girl with too much time in her hands. Shuichi was definitely squirming in his grave.

"You clearly have too much time," Eiri commented harshly. He sat down and lit a cigarette. He didn't bother to ask her if she minded… he wanted her to mind. She had dragged him out here. Maybe he could have chosen to ignore the call, but how could he? How could he when she had waved Shuichi's matter like bait in front of him with a simple message? Shuichi, alive? Hah.

"So? You think Shuichi is alive now, don't you?" Eiri lazily puffed out smoke and glared at his host through the haze. He smiled condescendingly with a slight sneer. "Aren't you going to explain, Amano-san?"

Amano looked shaken by his words, but she quickly put on a look of determination before he could say anything to that. "Well, I think so. There are things I'm not too sure about – but you're going to help me confirm that." Eiri got up to leave. Amano hastily added, "I need to know more about Shindou-san. And then… about Seguchi Tohma. The more I know about them, the clearer my theory will get."

Eiri gave her a critical look and then smirked to himself. He sat back down again. "You think Seguchi killed Shuichi, don't you?" he asked, not quite able to hide the grim amusement he felt. Seguchi Tohma… kill Shuichi? Hide him? That wasn't new and, admittedly, for the longest time he had played with the idea that his overprotective brother-in-law had finally run out of patience and decided to get rid of the pink-haired brat. It hurt, though; to hear it come out from someone else's mouth made it seem like he could have been correct in thinking so and that it was obvious to everyone else.

The young woman's lips pressed together in a fine line. Eiri knew at that moment that she hadn't been meaning to tell him who her prime suspect was. After a while, she smiled and finally answered him. "I think that Seguchi Tohma is behind Shindou-san's possible disappearance," she said truthfully.

"Murder," Eiri corrected her.

"Sorry?

"I said murder," Eiri hissed. "Shuichi would be with me now if he were alive all this time. His determination would never let him lay low if it meant not breathing the same air I breathe." He tried not to laugh at that; it was silly but true. It was something Shuichi would have said. "I have to breathe the same air as Yuki! To be within five meters radius of you as much I can!"

"That's harsh, Yuki-san." Amano sounded morose. "I thought Shuichi was dead too, but now I believe there is a possibility… Of course, if you don't believe that, it doesn't matter. I'm here to ask about Shindou-san and Seguchi Tohma, after all."

Eiri folded his arms and then called for a waiter. He ordered wine. His tablemate asked for some fruit punch.

"I want to know what he was really like, outside the stage… the publicity.. and all that. His insecurities. Mannerisms," Amano said. "I need to know about his relationship with Seguchi Tohma. If even you think it's possible that he's the one behind this… then I'm taking it they didn't have a very good relationship, am I right, Yuki-san?"

Tohma knows killing Shuichi would hurt you. A voice reminded him quietly and Eiri would agreed were it not for the other voice that said, And he also thinks he always knows what's best for you.

Both were right. Eiri gave the woman a noncommittal nod.

"Yuki-san, I met with Seguchi Tohma's former secretary today and she said Shindou-san and Seguchi Tohma were arguing a lot before the accident." Eiri nodded again, this time with a "Hn". He'd known about that; Shuichi acted differently whenever he got into a fight with his brother-in-law and he learned to pick up on that. He wasn't ignorant; he'd lived with Shuichi long enough by then to be able to read his emotions easily. "She told me Shindou-san had been receiving threatening messages then… did you know?"

Eiri tried not to look surprised, but the question caught him so suddenly that he was unable to stop the sharp "What?" from coming out of his mouth. Amano looked pleased by his reaction.

"I take it you didn't," she said softly, almost with a tinge of pity. Eiri hated that tone. "Well, I suppose we'll be filling each other in then ?" She paused and then broke into a wide grin. "Actually, I think it's time I stopped beating the bushes, don't you think, Yuki-san?"

Eiri sat back and tried to regain his composure. "You've been beating around the bushes all this time?" he asked coolly. She nodded.

"Tell me, Yuki-san, why do you think did Sakuma Ryuichi fixed you up with Fujiwara Yukito?" She quickly rephrased her question, "What did Sakuma Ryuichi want?"

Eiri narrowed his eyes and hissed, "How did you know about that?"

"I work with Mr. K," Amano answered proudly. "That's how I got your contact number, Yuki-san. But setting that aside… have you thought about why?"

"Why? I'll tell you why, Amano-san," Eiri allowed his voice to drip with sarcasm, "Hatred; simple as that. He thinks he's Shuichi's savior – that's news for you – and I'm the devil who torments Shuichi. Revenge – that works too."

Eiri watched Amano's face change, as she seemed to become lost in thought. He let her have her silence; she was probably rethinking her theories.

Their drinks came but Eiri continued smoking instead of drinking his wine.

"Yuki-san," Amano said finally, with a look of astonishment in her face. Eiri immediately decided he didn't like that look but he listened anyway. "Think," she said with some difficulty, "Sakuma Ryuichi is Seguchi Tohma's closest friend. Don't you think he should know something? And enter in Fujiwara Yukito… who does look like Shindou-san. Why do you thi—"

Eiri found himself standing up and slamming a hand violently onto the table before he could even think about calming himself and forming a sarcastic remark to that theory. "Shuichi is dead," he said through gritted teeth, sending the young woman a withering glare. "That boy is not Shuichi."

Amano looked surprised and then confused.

"If that's your precious theory, then you're sorely mistaken," Eiri sneered as he sat back down. He rubbed his forehead gently with one hand as he struggled to keep his voice even. Fujiwara Yukito; just that name was enough to send the dark, angry emotion boiling up in him again, the truth to burn through his conscience again. "I'm not going to sit through tonight describing how Shuichi was just so you can compare him with someone like him. Let the dead lie dead." Eiri spat the last sentence with disgust. "I was happy until you came along and decided to complicate things. Did I really need to know how Shuichi was actually murdered? Up until you decided to unearth that bloody videotape, I was content in knowing Shuichi had died in an accident, possibly because of his own stupidity. And then you tell me he was murdered, that my brother-in-law possibly set it up, and now… now... that he's alive and living as an annoyingly ignorant seventeen year old?"

"Well… it is… possible… I gue—"

"Make up your mind, woman!" He hissed. He smiled and got up. "I've had enough, Amano-san," he declared and then broke into a laugh. "Well, that was pointless…."

Someone began playing the violin; a passionate tune that could only be portraying romance. Eiri found himself involuntarily turning sharply towards the sound. There, in one of the special tables around the unused piano in the establishment, he found the topic of their conversation – the living one—sitting and enjoying dinner with an attractive blonde.

"Ah crap! I almost forgot about them…" he heard Amano say sharply, followed by the sound of skin slapping against skin, and chair dragging onto the floor as she got out of her seat. Eiri couldn't have been more amused.

Under the influence of the hatred he held for the young Fujiwara that he was sure, was mutual – how could it not be mutual after that? – he strode towards the couple. In his mind, he told himself it was all Sakuma Ryuichi and Fujiwara Yukito's fault that he was what he was now. Mean, cold Yuki Eiri – that was him. The bastard. The rapist.

He shut out the voice in his mind that begged him to ignore Yukito in the name of self-preservation. He had been a rapist, but he had done it unconsciously, unwillingly.

It told him he was actively willing right now to hurt someone else but he ignored it completely.

000

As soon as he had those eyes, those suddenly very painfully familiar, eyes trained on him and filled with unbridled hatred, Eiri found all the ill-thoughts he had harbored towards the boy only moments ago gone and replaced by feelings of disgust for his own self. He was able to keep a neutral face but was frozen in place as those eyes seemed to remind him of his sin and of the blatant truth.

What he had done had been unforgivable; not only for Yukito but for Shuichi, himself. He had sinned against Shuichi and those eyes, which looked so much like Shuichi's, felt like they were a glimpse of the hurt, the pain and the hatred he would find in Shuichi's eyes once he realized what a monster he truly was.

In the end, he was unable to say anything, but by the look in Yukito's eyes, the damage was done.

"Yuki-san," the boy addressed him sharply, in a hard voice. He sneered, more to himself than at the action, and spun on his heels.

He walked away and vaguely heard the boy greeting Amano Kyoko with the same quiet voice. He recognized the hurt and the pain in that voice – it almost sounded like Shuichi whenever he pulled the 'I might be cheating on you' trick.

"Shuichi," he breathed as the cold autumn wind met his face the moment he stepped out of the establishment. "For your own sake, I hope you're up there… laughing at my idiocy."

Hating is good too. As long as you're dead…

000

#1# I honestly don't know how good that is. I looked it up at Wikipedia a bit and remembered the titles from **Hikaru no Go**, but really… Ai is good enough to be teaching old people Go and to be making a living out of it – I just pulled the number magically:D

#2# I didn't want to create another imaginary restaurant, so this one makes a happy return. Of course, the "family friend" has to be Tohma…


	21. Death

**Disclaimer:** Nope, still not rich enough to own **Gravitation** and its characters. The original charas are mine though… Then again, imagine if I owned **Gravitation**, it would be one big angsty drama with an 'everyone-dies' finale…

**A/N: **I almost feel bad for one of the characters in this chapter now. Almost. (coughs) Anyway, I actually have chapter twenty-two finished and all I need to do is go through the beta (I'm such a difficult writer D;)… then I'm off to figure out how I'm gonna include the police into the mix. Asking people around about Japanese crime investigation had my head reeling from all the info that… just… refused to take root. Or much sense. Imagining the great Yuki Eiri detained in a prison cell was scary!

I still can't remember what hair color Yukito last ended up with, so if anyone remembers and it's not brown, then uh… please remind me? The tiny little details are so hard to remember, though I only have myself to blame for that. Anyway, we're closer to the end… just a little more! We're already into December fic-wise. I hope to make the grand finale during Christmas in the fic…. Around that, anyway. Three more weeks. And don't loose hope... Shuichi… is somewhere… I guess, people will be… disappointed next chapter but….

Much thanks to the great **kageotogi/HawkClowd**, whose amazing beta-ing and godlike grammatical skills make me wanna improve so badly. I keep forgetting what I've learnt…. Uber thanks for the patience! I'll improve, somehow… v.v;;

And uber thanks to the people who are still following this fic Thank you! (hands out cookies to **caberwolf**, **anime-earth**, **asara kaden**, **cocoke5**, and **Dee**) Knowing that people are still reading inspire me to work harder!

Btw! (coughs) I'm currently following **Never Goodbye** by **Coco Reed**. It's a **Weiss Kreuz**/**Yami no Matsuei** crossover with Omi deathness and torture and… yeah, Muraki. Go read and review her stuff D; We need more good Omi-fics…

And now Onto the fic!

**Chapter Twenty-One: Death**

_Kyoko's thoughts were whirling by the time she left the restaurant. Standing in front of her car, she barely registered the fact that her hands were shaking as she slipped it into its keyhole. Yukito had been angry underneath the gentle smile he wore for the duration of their conversation. It was an oddly frightening sight, seeing that smile but feeling the dark waves of anger emanate from him. Kyoko wasn't empathic or anything ridiculous like that, she could even be called self-centered, but still she felt the emotion._

_Footsteps sounded behind her: the sharp staccato of high-heeled shoes. She spun around, one hand unconsciously sliding into her purse_, _and _she_ found herself face-to-face with Yukito's fiancée. Behind her stood a taller woman with fiery red her. She gulped and stood up straight._

_"Hello, Mizuki-san," she greeted amiably._

_The other woman smiled gently and then clasped her hands together in front of her dress._

"_A beautiful evening to be outside, isn't it?" Mizuki Ai asked conversationally in a polite voice that somehow reminded Kyoko_ _that the woman was a Go player. She'd always connected Go with good manners and rituals, even tea ceremonies for some reason. _

"_Y-yes." Kyoko hadn't meant to stutter but did, and noticed the sharp_, _calculating gaze the redhead was subjecting her to_.

_Ai looked downwards, seemingly in thought. For a while, she was silent and then, just as Kyoko began entertaining thoughts of excusing herself from the awkward conversation, she made a simple gesture with her left hand. Kyoko caught the redhead nodding and then there was a gun aimed at her_ _chest_ _in the redhead's hand._

_The blonde turned her attention toward_ _her again. "You hurt Yuki," Ai said coldly. "I don't like it when people hurt the people I love—" Kyoko furrowed her eyebrows a bit at the woman's choice of words but said nothing. "—and I love Yuki. He's been… unhappy… lately. Upset. It's your fault, isn't it?"_ _The question was asked softly and Kyoko almost nodded, knowing how she had, indeed, upset the teen tonight, but then she remembered Yuki Eiri and she clamped her lips shut._

_A loud click told Kyoko the redhead had just released_ _the safety lock. Kyoko felt no fear, though; they wouldn't dare, would they? _

"_It's your fault," Ai said finally and then edged closer, locking cold green eyes into Kyoko's. "Don't you ever dare go near _my_ Yuki again. He doesn't deserve to be hurt anymore. If you dare, _Amano-san_, there are ways I can arrange for you to never be able to_ _hurt him _again_."_

"_Pam." Kyoko's legs collapsed beneath her at the sound and she slid against the body of her car. When she looked up, she found the redhead smiling slightly as she looked down at her with calculating eyes. The redhead had put away her gun._

"_Goodbye, Amano-san," Kyoko heard Ai say, her eyes suddenly transfixed onto the cold ground. "I pray we never meet again."_

000

The door opened before Seguchi Tohma with a welcoming creak and he let himself into his brother-in-law's new apartment armed with groceries and other provisions. He knew all too well how Eiri hadn't come out of his apartment for almost a week and, even when he had, it certainly hadn't been to fill the empty stores of his new home.

"Eiri-san?" Tohma called out as he quietly closed the door behind him. The apartment was dark and silent, almost as if there was no one at home, but Tohma knew better. He deposited the bags he carried at the doorstep, removed his shoes, and walked to the living room. He sighed softly and shook his head as he recognized the blond head peeking out from one of the sofa's backrest

"Eiri-san," he whispered as he sat on the armrest and began idly stroking the younger man's hair. Eiri stirred slightly beneath his touch but his eyes remained closed. Tohma turned his attention toward the center table beside the sofa, noting the number of empty beer cans on it: eight. Eiri had been busy.

Tohma knew he had been weak, had been unable to bring up the proper defenses before any damage could be done. It hurt to see Eiri so defeated again, to watch him slowly but surely regress into the self-destructive habits he had picked up shortly after Yuki Kitazawa's rape. He had only barely been able to prevent Eiri from doing so when Shuichi died and that had taken gargantuan efforts from both him and his wife… and the whole Uesugi clan.

He swallowed hard and knotted his eyebrows, focusing on the harsh lines on the younger man's face and thinking. Amano Kyoko had made fresh the wounds Eiri bore from Shuichi's death, sprinkled it with salt with her so-called 'truth'. And then, there was Ryuichi – his own Ryuichi – coming to torment Eiri more. He hadn't thought it possible, hadn't foreseen it, but the damage was done and here, he knew, lay the broken remains of what had once been Uesugi Eiri.

Tohma bent down and pressed his lips against the novelist's forehead in a kiss. Eiri's forehead was cold with sweat and he reeked of alcohol, but Tohma could only think of the pain he must be suffering even in his dreams. He pitied Eiri.

"Eiri, I'll protect you," he whispered as he carefully wrapped his arms around Eiri's shoulders. "You have to be strong. You have to pull through this… so I can fix you. Don't leave me…"

Tohma closed his eyes and pressed their foreheads together. He half-hoped Eiri would wake up and acknowledge his presence with a sharp glare and a gruff greeting, but when the novelist didn't, he was thankful. When awake, the novelist would never let Tohma hold him like this and it had been so long – _so very long_ – since he last held the younger man in his protective arms. He held onto Eiri for several long minutes and then reluctantly pulled away.

The cans on the coffee table caught his attention again. With a smile and the image of Mika shaking her pretty head hopelessly at him in his mind, he began crushing the cans one by one. With that done, he collected them in his arms and walked into the kitchen, where he thoughtfully deposited them into the bin for recyclable items.

"What would you do without me, Eiri-san?" Tohma found himself asking as he looked over his shoulder to the general direction of the novelist's sofa. He frowned then, remembering suddenly the reports that had greeted him on the bright morning that day.

Apparently, the same Amano Kyoko who had unwittingly provided the media with footage from _that_ night had come to meet with Eiri. What they talked about would remain the subject of Tohma's calculating imaginations, but he was sure that whatever had gone through between them at the Red Cavalier had certainly hurt Eiri and pushed him further to the brink. He wondered how long it would it be before Eiri fell into insanity. Or, how deep into it was he?

There was nothing much left to keep Eiri from falling into the deep end. He had even given up on his writing career a while back. Tohma knew Eiri had said he would be taking an 'indefinite break', but he knew his brother-in-law well and knew that 'indefinite break' could well stretch into the rest of his life, however long that could be now.

Uesugi Eiri, the little boy he had known, had always aspired to be a writer. The reason for the career choice was simple – because it would allow him to weave stories and always, always make what he wanted _happen_. Little Uesugi Eiri was a victim of circumstance and the idea of controlling little, fictional lives and directing their every action and orchestrating the consequences that followed difficult choices naturally enticed the boy. To think that he had given up on that, too…

Before he knew it, he was halfway to the sofa again, but he knew he couldn't stay too long. Eiri would wake up soon and break the enchantment.

"You've fallen hard, Eiri," Tohma whispered, not knowing himself whether he was referring to the difficult patch his brother-in-law was in or the simple fact that he had loved Shuichi much too deeply. "I hope… I want to…." He paused and continued in a steadier tone, one wrought with strong conviction. "I will catch you."

Against the strong desire to place one last kiss on that sun-kissed head, he spun around sharply and headed down back toward the front door. He schooled himself to wear a mask of indifference. Weakness had no place in his being. He had to be strong. If for even one moment he allowed himself to fail, it wouldn't be him to suffer the consequences but _them: _the people he loved and held dear in his heart.

Once outside Eiri's apartment, he found himself thinking about Ryuichi.

The man had hurt Eiri, had gone against him, had done something terrible, but Tohma would continue to love him. And like a parent to a wayward child, he would have to find a way to discipline his friend to prevent it from ever happening again.

"I have to be strong," he reminded himself darkly as he produced a pair of sunglasses from his coat and slipped them on. "If I have to be harsh, I will be. I will be."

000

"You're looking down, chibi. _Whas'sup_?"

Craning his head slightly, Yukito regarded Ruka with a slight nod but remained silent. He was leaning against a window, arms folded on the windowsill as he looked out into the school building's courtyard.

"Seriously, you pouting like that is enough to worry anyone –" Ruka placed a hand on his shoulder. "How many as it been? I think three or five girls came up to me at lunch to ask me what happened to you…. Juni, of course, was worried sick."

"I'm okay, don't worry," Yukito said simply and continued his to silently look out of the window.

"Yukito." Ruka's voice was serious. "Did something happen between you and Ai?" he asked quietly.

Yukito turned sharply to him and shot him an incredulous look. "No! I mean… _No_, it's got nothing to do with Ai… we're fine. I love her." His face softened. "And she loves me… no, it has nothing to do with Ai…"

"Then what is it?" With the arm he had on Yukito's shoulder, Ruka forced the younger teen to face him. The clouded blue eyes that met his had him frowning. He asked again, "Tell me what's wrong, Yukito. I know that look. What can be worse than almost killing Yuki Eiri?" Ruka had meant it as a joke but Yukito's face darkened instantly.

The brunet pushed his redhead's friend's hand from his shoulder and leaned onto the windowsill again.

"Fukuyama-san wants to meet me later at the concert site," Yukito said finally. At the edge of his vision, he saw the arched eyebrow and confused look on Ruka's face. He sighed and slumped forward, keeping his gaze straightforward.

"What's wrong with that? Obviously, the girl's infatuated with you—" Ruka paused to snort. "—but you have Ai, you love her and couldn't you just tell her off now, _chibi? _Oh wait, you didn't know she liked you…?"

"…I had an inkling," Yukito said softly, his voice muffled by his arms as he pressed his head against it.

"Then what's the problem…why so upset?"

"She asked Nanae-san to tell me," Yukito said again. "I was… mad at her. She… did something last Saturday… I…" He gritted his teeth and hoped Ruka didn't notice his tension. "…I didn't like it." His voice came out hard and harsh but he didn't realize it did until he noticed Ruka watching him with worried eyes.

Yukito smiled at his friend.

"It's not as bad as it sounds… I… was just upset." _Furious. She brought Yuki Eiri with her_. _As if stalking him wasn't bad enough._ Yukito bit back the words and hoped it didn't come out on his face. Lately, it had become easier for him to become angered. He wasn't like this before, hadn't been for a long while. Tohma had taught him how to approach difficult subjects calmly and with a sound mind. Lately, dark voices filled with hatred and contempt sounded at his mind whenever little grievances happened upon him, fuelling the small sparks of displeasure he felt into full-blown anger.

Yukito shook his head and sighed. "I'm just… thinking about whether I should go," he said. "I'm still… y'know… not cooled down enough—" He broke into a nervous chuckle and that action seemed to ease Ruka. The redhead smiled and brought a hand up to Yukito's head where he gave bleached hair a playful ruffling.

"Go, Yukito," Ruka told him with a grin. "It'll cool you down, I think. You're not the type of person to hold grudges and—" He sighed. "—seriously, you keeping it to yourself until you 'cool down' will do you more bad, the way I see it. Tell her you were upset with whatever she pulled last Saturday – let her say sorry; that might be why she wants to meet with you, and then tell her you're taken. Heck, tell her you got your fiancée pregnant and have to marry her by the end of the year to keep her away if you have to!"

Yukito paled at the mention of pregnancy. Ruka laughed.

"…wait, you didn't really get her pregnant, did you, chibi!"

Yukito began blushing. "We… we used….she takes…." He turned away from Ruka sharply and frowned. Of course, he and Ai naturally used protection. He wasn't an idiot – he didn't….

A slight pain behind his eyes had him instantly rubbing at the affected area. Ah, there, he was remembering that night. He shook his and managed to meet the once again worried look on Ruka's face with a weak smile.

"I'm going to the clinic to get some painkillers," he said as he pushed himself away from the windows, one hand still at his forehead. "Thank you, Ruka… I'll meet up with her tonight and tell her off like you said."

"Yukito…" Ruka said, at first in a worried tone before finally breaking into a smile. "You do that, chibi. Then you tell me about it later, okay?"

"I will."

And Yukito was out of the classroom.

000

Juni was on his way to meet with his band when he caught Yukito walking slowly toward the clinic. He'd have followed him if it weren't for the dark look on other's face, one that made Juni's heart wrench with worry and fear. That and the fact that he was running late and knew his bandmates would murder him if he forwent another practice in favor of sticking with Yukito and his group.

Later on, though, after several hours of repeating the same five songs over and over, he was free for the night. Remembering the dark look on Yukito's face, he quickly set out to look for him. But Yukito was nowhere to be found. He was, however, fortunate enough to find Ruka and Takumi conversing with some of the school council members about some arrangements for the music festival and was soon quizzing them on Yukito's absence.

"Where's Yukito?" Juni all but yelled, as he slowed into a jog toward the pair. Takumi regarded him with an arched eyebrow and Ruka shrugged.

"Home early?" the redhead suggested playfully. Juni frowned, knowing by the tone of the redhead's voice that this was far from true.

"I don't buy that," Juni said darkly and then narrowed his eyes at Takumi. "Do you know anything about this?"

"I've been busy helping with arrangements, as usual. So, no," the dark-haired teen said simply, tossing his ponytail back. He jerked a thumb towards Ruka, "He was with Yukito earlier on, though; ask him."

"I knew it!" Juni yelled and turned a potent glare towards Ruka. Ruka began chuckling.

"You'll be jealous though." The redhead bent down to meet the shorter boy's eye-level. Juni suddenly became conscious of his less-than-adequate height.

"Why?" Juni pouted.

Ruka grinned widely, flashing perfect, white teeth. "….He's off to meet with one lovely Kyoko."

The admission had an incredible effect on Juni. The half-Japanese boy's eyes widened and his jaw slacked as he stared disbelievingly at Ruka.

"You…. You…" Juni stopped himself. "Why?" he cried instead.

The redhead shrugged and gave Takumi beside him a slight smile. "Dunno, maybe he just wanted to enjoy the night breeze with her?"

Juni found himself stealing a glance out the windows beside them, noticing the darkened skies. "How long ago was this? When did he leave?" Ruka began laughing at him again. "Tell me!"

"Oh now, come on, don't be jealous." Ruka shook his head and folded his arms. "They just need to sort things out, 'kay? He's not interested in Kyoko or any _other_ girl. He's still engaged, y'know?"

"But…"

A familiar DDR tune, which Juni remembered dancing to but couldn't name, beeped into life and Ruka was suddenly reaching into his pockets for his cellphone. With a pout, Juni folded his arms impatiently.

Ruka's face darkened suddenly and his eyebrows drew together in a tight frown. "Yukito, what's wrong? Yukito…."

That immediately got Juni and Takumi's attention. The two of them edged closer to the redhead.

"I… I don't understand you. Calm down... where… what happened…? Yukito… Get a hold of yourself!… _Yukito_--" Ruka stared at the cellphone in his hand.

"What happened?" Takumi was the one to ask. Juni could only stare mutely at Ruka.

"I don't know!" Ruka cried and threw his arms up in frustration. "I couldn't understand him… he was panicking and then… he hung up…" He trailed away, lost in thought, before continuing sharply, "We have to go to him. I know where he is—"

"Drive my car, Ruka!" Juni offered suddenly, grabbing the taller man by his shoulder. "It's faster… it'll get us there faster—"

"It's okay… I'll drive mine. I'll drive you two, if you want to come… It's near anyway. He's… he said he was going to be at the concert site…"

Reluctantly, Juni released Ruka from his hold and silently trailed behind him.

000

Kyoko was standing with her back away from him wheYukito arrived at the concert site. The dark-haired woman was dressed in a trendy mismatch of clothes – he was sure that was a high school mini-skirt over her jeans – with her arms lined with different kinds of colorful bracelets. She wore a cowboy hat to accentuate her wild apparel and it reminded him immediately of Tohma's little obsession with hats.

"Fukuyama-sa—" he began and was instantly cut off by an irritated Kyoko, as he'd predicted.

"_Kyoko_-san!" she corrected, spinning around sharply, one manicured hand with purple-painted nails resting on her hips. She regarded him with a frown that eased into a look Yukito couldn't name. His mind told him it was pity, but what was there to pity with him?

He tried to keep a plain expression on his face.

"I'm here," he said simply. Kyoko walked closer to him. It was getting dark and the silver matchstick earrings dangling in her ears glinted in the strong white lights around the concert site.

Kyoko breathed in deeply and then exhaled. "I'm glad you came!" she exclaimed. "I thought you wouldn't come… I was getting kinda desperate! … I even broke my phone…."

"Kyoko-san…. Why..." He amended himself and said firmly, "What do you want?"

The dark-haired woman frowned, thin eyebrows drawing together in a frown while her lips pressed together tightly. Yukito noticed the wetness of her lips, the way bits of bright red seemed to line it – had she been peeling off dried lip skin, or biting at it nervously until it drew blood?

"You love her, don't you?" Kyoko avoided his question and drew closer until she was within his arm's length.

"I do, of course," Yukito replied and wondered if that was her reason for calling him; if all she had wanted was a firm declaration of his love for his fiancée for her kill off whatever allusions she had of being with him.

_Silly girl_, a dark voice remarked amusedly in his mind. Yukito waited and watched Kyoko closely as she seemed to choose her next words with great care.

"_Yukito_," Kyoko said finally. The way she said his name sent slight shivers coursing through his body. "You need to open your eyes!"

Yukito blinked at her rapidly before frowning. He said nothing and waited for what else Kyoko was poised to say.

"She's using you! She's… Mizuki Ai… she's definitely using you—" Kyoko was shaking her head and making wild gestures with her hands. "—Yukito… you're… you're not what you think you are, _who_ you think you are!"

Kyoko grabbed him by his shoulders and began shaking him. Her blue eyes burned through his and Yukito saw the desperation in them.

Yukito found himself bursting into a loud laugh. "Fukuyama-san, you've gone insane… haven't you?" He wrapped his hands around her wrists and gently pushed her back. "I don't know what's going through your head at this very moment but… this is insane." The desperate look remained on the woman's face but Yukito could only see the situation as being ridiculous. One moment she was asking him about his _love_ for his fiancée, the next she was spouting nonsense about his identity….

"Listen to me!" Kyoko cried sharply, forcing her hands back onto his shoulder. "Mizuki Ai… that redhead friends of yours – Seguchi Tohma!—" Yukito flinched at the mention of Tohma's name. "—They're all using you! They're playing with your mind…. Keeping you here! You don't know who you are… but I… I do! I know who you are!"

_She knows who you are, of course. _It was the dark voice again, the sly existence that existed to pepper and stroke the fires of hatred and contempt in him. He was suddenly gripped by an unnamed fear and he froze.

"Fukuyama-san," he breathed. "_Kyoko-san_. Get a hold of yourself." He ordered calmly and was relieved when the older woman stopped. She released her grip on him and distanced herself from him.

With a smile, she apologized. "I'm sorry," she said softly, but Yukito saw the look in her eyes remained unchanged.

"I don't… " Yukito stopped himself and continued in a softer tone. "I don't know what's… happened… or what you're talking about… but… Tohma-kun and Ai – don't talk badly about them. You might be desperate for—"

"I'm worried for you, Yukito!" she cried suddenly. "It's not normal! I'm not a genius… I… I probably don't have the mind for this like I claim to, but I know… I know what's normal and what's not and your fiancée… she's not normal! She's using you! Everything is so clear when you look at it… my way... when you've seen something I bet _you_ haven't, Yukito!"

"Kyoko-san…"

"And Tohma… Seguchi Tohma's lying through his teeth, Yukito," she turned away from him sharply and was silent for a few moments. "He _knows_, I'm sure he does." She closed in on him and took his hands into hers. "Yukito, it might seem far-fetched… but—Yukito, where were you two years ago? Why… you had amnesia, didn't you? Where did you have a car accident?"

Surprised by the question, Yukito instinctively backed away from her, but her hands on his kept him from gaining the distance he wanted. "How did you know?"

"I was snooping around hospital records, Yukito. I was looking for traces of Shindou Shuichi's _murderers_—"

"You're looking for _what_?" Yukito thought back to the accident weeks back. An uneasy feeling swept him as he remembered why the older woman had been adamant about it not being an accident.

"I found your record, Yukito. I was looking for Fujima Kouji's record and I found _yours_. So tell me, Yukito… how much of your life do you know? Where were you two years ago when you had an accident, hit your head hard enough to forget about _everything_?"

Each word Kyoko spoke went through his heart, planting seeds of doubt in places where there had only been certainty and faith. "I was in America. I had gotten a new car – I was in _New York_. I was reckless," Yukito said haltingly. To his dismay, Kyoko's lips broke into a triumphant grin.

"_See_? Yukito? That's where you're _wrong_." She produced a crumpled piece of paper from her pocket and showed it to him. "Wonderful thing, these reports are, aren't they, Yuki?" She sniffed and shoved the paper into his face. "Read it," she ordered.

Hands trembling slightly, Yukito accepted the piece of paper while Kyoko continued her monologue. "How did you think I knew about your memory loss? Your injuries? The fact that you were in a car accident – but… you weren't in a car accident, where you? Why would you have a gunshot wound through your left shoulder if you were in a car accident, Yuki?"

"A gunshot…" Yukito whispered as he read through the printout. The information within it was brief – it looked like a summary report but the words _amnesia_, _bullet wound, coma, _and _seizure_ stuck out.

"That's one of the earlier reports you had on your file—" Kyoko trailed away and gently placed her hands on his shoulders again. She pulled him into a hug. "Yukito, you didn't transfer to a hospital in New York until after a month here in Japan – _here in Japan." _Kyoko repeated the three words with more conviction. "You were in a coma, Yuki… you… didn't know—"

"Shut up," Yukito managed to whisper hoarsely, his voice muffled in her clothes.

"Yukito…"

"I said shut up!" he yelled and shoved her away from him. He crumpled the piece of paper in his hands into a ball and tossed it at her face. Kyoko winced.

"You're lying, bitch. _You're lying!_" He switched from Japanese to English fluidly.

"Yukito…"

"_Bitch, I said shut up! You're putting lies into my mind… what do _you_ know?" _Yukito stopped himself and began taking deep breaths. He staggered away from her, panting while his heart beat madly in his ears. The words had been real, his name had been on the record, but he refused to believe it. Why should he? He was just an ordinary teenager, he had nothing on him, _why_ was Kyoko doing this?

"I don't know what you want—" Yukito hissed, reverting back to Japanese without even knowing it. "—I'm just a high school student – if you wanted me badly… don't stoop so low!"

"I'm not doing this… " Kyoko closed the gap between them again and began shaking him again, to clear his mind maybe. But Yukito's mind was already reeling to process the new information. The voices were getting louder. Yukito wanted to bolt, to jump into his car and drive away – _far_ away – from here. "Yukito, listen to me. You… you aren't Fujiwara Yukito. Maybe… you're not who I think you are… but you're _not_ Fujiwara Yukito! They're lying…. Your fiancée, for example… what did she tell you about your engagement?"

Yukito said nothing and he hung his head dejectedly. Kyoko shook him harder and repeated her question.

Finally, in a quiet voice, he answered her. "It was arranged."

"_Wrong_! Until two years ago, Mizuki Ai was engaged to someone else and guess who… _guess who_ she was engaged to!"

"Stop it!" Yukito cried and then he began whimpering as he brought his hands to his ears. "Please stop it," he begged. "Why are you doing this? I don't want to know! I don't need to know! I'm happy this way… please—"

He remembered suddenly how they looked at him back then, the way they would converse behind held-up hands around him. They didn't like him. They mocked his engagement with Ai, they laughed at him, they _pitied_ him.

"Yukito, look at me."

Yukito did so, slowly. His whole body was trembling. He saw her smile, saw the calm in her face. Kyoko looked happy that he had… what? Lost? Accepted?

"I don't want to believe it," Yukito said with all honesty. His feet moved on their own, toward Kyoko. He frowned. She smiled wider but said nothing.

"I love Ai…" He insisted and the look on Kyoko's face seemed to ask: _Even if she's lied to you?_

_She didn't lie_.

"Get a hold of yourself, Yukito-kun," Yukito told himself. He began gritting his teeth. Kyoko watched him quietly.

Their eyes met. Blue.

And there was red – bright red that covered his sight completely. He tasted salt on his lips. Copper. _Blood_. The sounds registered later. A beep. It sounded like a beep. A thud. Two thuds.

When the red cleared, he was kneeling on the ground. Grey. Red.

A mass of different reds – dark, light, pink – splattered on the ground before him. Beside him. A bloodied head, a mess of broken bones and more _blood_ on his lap. The words refused to come. His voice took a brief vacation. The voices laughed. The image repeated itself over and over in his mind but it was wrong. It was dark but it was bright now. Red.

Red.

He brought his hands up to his face, noticed they were drenched in blood, and covered his face – wet – with them.

His phone rang. He barely registered picking it up.

The dark voice was on the other line, louder than ever. Metallic. Cold. Hard. Taunting.

_Familiar_.

"It's done. You wanted her gone, didn't you? Aren't you relieved?"

A terrible calm overtook him. He called for help, then panicked as the words, the thoughts in his mind began swirling.

He was screaming before he knew it.

000

_The putrid smell of rotting flesh and dried blood woke him up. He opened his eyes and was met with bright red letters written in blood set on many pieces of paper. The letters formed one word over and over again; "Die. Die. Die."_

_He curled up into a ball and leaned against the glass wall. _

"_You should've listened, Shuichi." _

_He looked up and found a pair of small glowing orbs in the dark. He sniffed and pressed his back against the wall more. _

"_Go away."_

"_You should, if you want to leave."_

"_I can't leave…." The smell of blood came stronger. He drew his breaths more slowly. "Go away, please… pleasepleaseplease… please go away…."_

"_I can't leave too, Shu-chan. It's your fault… your fault… all your fault…"_

_Shuichi closed his eyes and hugged his knees. He cried and smelled the decay on him. _

"_I don't want to die, please. Pleaseohgod,don'tletmedie... please…"_

_A cold hand touched his head. It smelled of death._

"_We all do, Shu-chan."_

000


	22. Blood on My Hands

**Disclaimer**: I still don't own **Gravitation** and its characters. Schwee. Woe is to me, I am nothing but a sad fangirl who delights in torturing these chararas…

**A/N:** I was hoping to finish the next chapter before I edited and posted this chapter up, but as it is, my muses seem to have… taken another break. I blame Tohma for this who insisted on starting the next chapter in his POV. I actually had two pages written in his POV but then, I realized, I was giving away too much by writing in his POV, so I scrapped his part and decided to write the next part in Yukito's POV. It's proving to be problematic. Two years ago, I was set on a hospital-scene… but ah well. When will it end! Anyway, while my muses for this fic seem to have taken a small break, I decided to start on a **Love Mode** fanfic. It's fun, but… where are all the Takamiya/Izumi fans? D;

As usual, uber thanks to the great **HawkClowd/kageotogi** for her beta-ing and great advice. I really am learning XD

And thanks to all the people have been reading and reviewing too: (gives cookies once again to **Dee**, **Inoue**, **cocoke5**, **asarakaden**, **caberwolf**, **Just Jill**, **Elizabeth Whittaker**, **scorpioo**)

To **Dee**: Well, don't bet on Ai being the one behind it all too soon… yeah. (coughs) I can't wait for Shuichi to come back either! In my impatience, I've actually thought of making him come back as a scary figment of Yukito's imagination….

To **Inoue**: Yeah, I hope this doesn't end senseless. One of the reasons for the inconsistency is most probably the fact that I've been working on this fic on and off for three years. So yeah… A lot of evolving has happened to the actual plot. If and when I finish this fic, I'll be able to compare my initial idea with the end product – must be so far from the initial idea now… Oh and I just enjoy screwing with **Gravitation** and turning it into one big… angst… fest. Yes.

And finally, yes, Kyoko is dead. Dead.

I have a few illustrations for this chapter; I'll post them up at my user profile. And now On to the fic (This chapter's short, but it had to be done… Oh and… disturbing imagery warning. Yes. Gore. Blood. Nightmare. Nothing too bad, but… warning to be on the safe side.)

**Chapter Twenty-Two: Blood on My Hands**

_Red._

"_Yukito. Why? Why me?"_

_Black._

"_Why? Why? Did you hate me so much?"_

_Red._

_Bright blue. Eyeballs set on an empty face, whole but dangling by vine-like fleshy appendages. Bits of white peeked out of clumps of flesh and blood; bones that clung stubbornly where flesh blew away. _

_Yukito felt himself take form, felt himself take a conscious step backwards as the faceless bloody mess edged closer towards him. Around him, the sound of teeth chattering circled him becoming louder and quieter in an endless cycle._

"_You didn't have to kill me!" the bloody remains cried and as it formed the words with an oddly normal but desperate voice, Yukito saw the lumps of flesh inside the face shift and tremble as it tried to form a mouth._

"_I'm sorry," Yukito found himself saying, shortly before a sharp surprised cry escaped his lips as the corpse reached out to grab his left wrist. The fingers were cold and hard and they pressed into his flesh hard until he could almost feel her bones pressing against his own._

_The corpse yanked him downwards by his wrist. Yukito yelped in pain and gasped as the smell of blood all but overcame his sense of smell. He wretched, eyes shut tight as he did, and when he opened his eyes again he found himself staring into the hollow bloody cave that had once been Kyoko's face. He heard her hoarse whisper in his ears, "You killed them, too."_

_The teeth-chattering became accusing laughter and then, finally, hissing._

_Murderer._

_Liar._

_Murderer._

_"No—" Yukito tried to say but long arms wrapped around him and began pulling him toward its body. He struggled, tried to break away from the dead's embrace, but soon found himself being assimilated into the body. He began screaming but was cut off as his face was buried into the bloody, hollow face._

000

Ruka shook his head, politely refusing the small bottled substance he was offered. The casually dressed police officer – at least, Ruka thought he was— frowned at this, but Ruka explained quickly, holding the unconscious Yukito closer to his chest: "No, if you don't mind…. I'd like for him to sleep this through… He's… he's not hurt. He'll need it."

The police officer, who Ruka thought, upon closer inspection looked no older than him, pocketed the bottle but looked extremely displeased. "He's not going to run away," Ruka added bitterly just as the 'police officer' began walking way. "And he's innocent," he added as an afterthought.

The 'police officer' shrugged and he seemed to be sneering, but he left them to their devices and went towards the crime scene. They hadn't bothered to move Kyoko's remains and were still hovering around them like they were a museum exhibit, clinically studying every aspect. Ruka had seen it before they threw a thin, white blanket over it, and it was nothing short of gruesome. Her face had been blown off completely while the back of her head remained relatively in tact save for a gaping hole half the size of one yen coin (1).

"This isn't going to be good for the school," Takumi said quietly, coming up beside him.

Ruka only snorted. "Ever heard of the saying: any publicity is good publicity? …Hey, is that your uncle handling the investigations for this?"

"Unfortunately, yes."

"I wonder how that happened…" Ruka said in sarcasm. Takumi scoffed at him and sat down on the pavement beside him.

"I guess Juni couldn't handle the blood, could he? Went home as soon as they finished questioning him…"

Ruka laughed and then looked down, remembering Yukito was in his arms. "Poor thing almost fainted… I feel sorry, almost," he paused and breathed. "I wonder how it was…. Seeing her face blown off on the spot…"

"…They'll have to take him in for grief counseling for that. They have people take grief counseling for less, too—Yukito's going to have nightmares out of this…"

"Poor chibi," Ruka whispered softly and eyed the specks of dried blood on Yukito's face and hair. When they had arrived – and it seemed like hours ago – seeing Yukito covered in blood had almost given him a heart attack. Thankfully, when the emergency people arrived, they found he wasn't hurt physically but Ruka remembered that tortured look Yukito had given him before collapsing into an unconscious heap.

"Looks like she's here," Ruka heard Takumi say softly. Knowing what he meant by that, Ruka looked toward the parking lot and found a familiar pair talking with the 'police officer' who had been bugging him earlier. Yukito's fiancée looked worried. Her pretty face was scrunched up in the worst frown Ruka had seen her wear in years. Freesia remained emotionless as ever, but Ruka knew the woman had always been and would always be like that. He waved at them once the 'police officer' was gracious enough to let them through the crime scene.

"We've got some explaining to do now, huh?" Ruka hummed to himself, wondering if Yukito could hear him.

000

_Orbs of red exploded around him as he broke out, hands clawing mindlessly at the thin, cloth-like wall. Gasping for air, Yukito collapsed to his knees. Tears welled in his eyes. The smell of blood and death hung thickly in the air._

_He tilted his head upwards and watched with morbid fascination as strings of black and white wove together in front of him. The strings, oddly, began forming pictures in the dark. A road, rocks, dead trees… a car…._

_He rose up from the floor and, once he had his balance, began walking slowly towards the car. The drawn car. Colors rushed around him suddenly in a blinding explosion and when he blinked his eyes open, the darkness was gone, replaced by an eerily familiar sight._

_The front door of the car opened for him on its own. Curious but wary, Yukito took small hesitant steps as he closed in._

_Murderer, the wind whispered hastily into his ears. He ignored it and breathed in deeply as he readied himself for whatever was inside the car._

_Blood._

_And more blood._

_His mouth hung open. Dry. A bloody mess where there should be a face. Blood on the steering wheel. Yukito noticed the cracked lines on the windshield. His mouth began moving on its own, forming words he knew had been said but Yukito could not recall._

_His arms moved on their own, reaching out while trembling uncontrollably. Fingertips traced the bit of skin that remained on the corpse's face. Tremble. Shake. His lips moved again and then his face was deep into the corpse's bloody chest, taking in the odd mixture of cologne, blood, and… gunpowder?_

_A sharp intake of air, echoed by a tiny whimper._

_Yukito's body rose away sharply, turning to the whimper and he saw pink in the darkness. Bright pink and purple. Glittering orbs._

_Pleasepleaseohgodplease…please don't kill me…_

_"I'll kill you," Yukito heard himself say. His voice was dreadful, hoarse, and filled with hate._

_The cold of metal materialized in Yukito's hands. Looking down, he saw a gun in his right hand._

_No... please..please... don't kill me... Pleaseplease…_

_"If you think you can escape... Hah, think again, whore!"_

_His body broke into a run. He felt the rush of cold wind against his face. He closed his eyes._

_There was laughter._

000

Tohma remembered why he disliked dealing with the police. They were always so persistent, so tactless and simple-minded. He was glad he had spoken to the police chief shortly after the news came to him, but he doubted they could deal with it like they had Shuichi's accident. He sighed and crossed his arms. At the center of it all was Yukito, who had been the only witness. To make matters worse, it seemed the victim – from what he'd heard and gathered – had met with Eiri only days ago.

He knew both were innocent, but he doubted the police were going to see that as easily as he could. He shook his head and leaned back on in chair.

"Uugh…"

Tohma watched Yukito as he stirred slightly in his sleep, a look of fear playing on his face. Only hours ago, he had been watching Eiri and worrying about how he could shield Eiri from any more damage. To think he'd have to worry about Yukito in the same way…

The door to Yukito's room opened, and Ai, carrying a tray with two glasses of juice, stepped in. "Thank you for you help again, Seguchi," she said as she handed him a glass. Tohma accepted with a slight nod.

"It was nothing," he said quietly before taking a small sip. That was an understatement; the police had been bent on dragging their unconscious witness back to their headquarters so they could question him as soon as he came to. They hadn't really said that, but Tohma imagined they had thought of it. It had taken a lot of talking on his part to get Yukito back home. The power and influence that came from being the president of a powerful company and a former member of a near-legendary band really came in handy at times like this. He pitied lesser men who'd had to handle similar situations.

"If they find out it's you who had that girl killed, I'll be upset," Tohma said conversationally, resting his glass on his lap. He met Ai's green eyes with his and smiled gently the smile he used when he wanted to get a point across.

Ai froze. She stammered as she spoke. "So you heard about what I did...?"

Tohma nodded once and let the smile drop. "That was some stunt you pulled; now they're convinced you could be responsible for her death... Doesn't it make you curious as to how they found out?"

"She probably told someone… "Ai whispered. "I was… really… upset. I only wanted to frighten her..."

"Well, whatever you did, Mizuki-san," Tohma paused to glance at Yukito and continued softly, "he's likely going to pay for it."

Ai was silent but Tohma saw the look she gave Yukito and sighed. He had a lot of work cut out for him.

000

_A trail of red._

_Pink._

_Red._

_High-pitched laughter followed him as he chased the pink-headed figure in the dark. It left two winding trails of angry red blood in the blackened ground._

_"Do you think I'll let you live?" Yukito heard himself growl. His right arm moved on its own. Gun in hand, it pulled the trigger twice, firing at the dark._

_The figure went down and a pool of blood grew in its wake._

_"What do you want from me?" the other yelled. Desperate. Sad. Angry. Bright blue… oddly purple… under a mess of damp pink hair streaked with blood, stared up at him defiantly as he stood triumphantly in front of him. Towering. Menacing. "Did someone from another recording company send you? To scare me? To make me quit? That's pathetic!"_

_The words were brave, defiant, complimenting the bright eyes that refused to back down but the voice it was said in was trembling, fearful… Yukito laughed hollowly. He knelt down and cupped the boy's chin._

_"Brave til the end, huh?" He spat on the boy's face and straddled him. The boy thrashed, but Yukito was stronger. Carefully, almost ceremonially, Yukito set his gun aside where he could easily reach it later. He flexed his fingers then and, smirking, wrapped them around the boy's thin neck._

_The boy let out a cry._

_Blood trailed down his left arm and pain soon followed but he squeezed harder. Inside, Yukito – the one who had long lost control – fought to end the horrific scene but to no avail. The fingers pressed into delicate flesh harder until those pretty purple eyes began glazing upwards._

_"…yu…ki…" the boy croaked. Yukito watched as the other tried to tilt his head upwards, to gain some space for air._

_"…yu….ki…" the boy repeated again; weaker this time. Laughter._

_"I'm going to haunt you forever, Shuichi." It was his voice. "Die… die… die…"_

_Purple eyes rolled upwards completely. Yukito stared into the whiteness._

_"Murderer," the boy's mouth moved to whisper suddenly. "Liar."_

_"No—" Yukito trailed away and found himself in control again. He released the neck in his grasp and stumbled backwards. "No… I'm.. not.. I didn't… I didn't mean to!" he cried desperately and could only watch in muted dread as the boy rose upwards. He was suddenly holding the gun in his bloodied hands._

_Shindou Shuichi pointed the gun at him, smiling quietly with white, unseeing eyes._

_"Murderer."_

_A loud gunshot filled Yukito's ears and he heard nothing more._

000

_I didn't… I didn't—_

Yukito sat up, gasping painfully as he came to. At first the fact that he had woken refused to register and he looked around in panic, worried about bloody specters clawing at and demanding justice from him. But then his gaze fell upon Seguchi and the older man held him in a calming gaze that eased the thunderous heartbeat in his chest and chased away his greater fears.

"Tohma!" He gasped as he threw himself into the man's arms and began crying. "I didn't…. I didn't mean.. to.. I didn't… I didn't want her to die…."

"I know you didn't…" Tohma assured him. He began petting the boy's head gently. Yukito shook his head, burying his face deeper into the older man's chest.

"Tohma-kun…I'm afraid…" the boy whispered. He clung to Tohma tightly and the blond man let him.

"I know you are."

"No…Tohma… I…Tohma…."

Tohma frowned slightly as Yukito pulled away from him. The boy clumsily wiped his tears with the palm of his hand.

"Ai… " Yukito stopped himself and began shaking his head. He tried, several times, to say something but would fail after the first words. It made Tohma wonder what Yukito wanted said about his fiancée that had him so flustered.

"Ai…Tohma! Ai's lying to me," Yukito finally said, forcing the words out with much difficulty. Tohma kept a calm, emotionless face and watched with increasing alarm as the brunet began covering his face with his hands and shaking. "…I …I don't know what to believe… I don't know what to do…." Yukito laughed bitterly and continued, "She said… she said….Ai was lying that... that she was lying to me that… that—" he stopped again, remembering something suddenly. Tohma waited patiently.

"…after K-kyoko died… somebody called me… said.. said.. I should be glad! It sounded… like… I.. I killed her, Tohma—"

"You didn't, I can assure you that."

"—But what if I did, Tohma? What if… what if… I… there's… I'm… someone.. else?" Yukito sounded desperate and confused. Very confused. Tohma could hardly follow Yukito's train of thought but he kept quiet, waiting for that precious understanding to come to him on his own.

Yukito began rambling incoherently. "I… I'm afraid," he said finally, and Tohma understood that part clearly. With a long-suffering sigh, he pulled Yukito into an embrace.

"Don't worry, I'll handle this. You didn't kill anyone, _Yuki_," Tohma whispered, his voice only loud enough for Yukito to hear. Yukito became lax in his arms and Tohma was glad because it looked like the boy had finally exhausted himself by rambling but then he suddenly began shaking.

"Yuki… what is it?" Tohma asked sharply. When the youth didn't answer, he grabbed the boy by his arms and tried to steady him. Yukito's eyes were wide-open but they were staring off to an unknown distance. Tohma had seen that look before on Eiri's face. That far-away look in his eyes had meant he was remembering the traumatic events Kitazawa had put him into. He wondered what kind of horrors were playing in front of Yukito's eyes.

"Tohma…" Yukito said in a small voice suddenly, still staring off. Tohma leaned closer as he wrapped his arms around the boy's shoulder and hoped the boy felt them through his nightmares. "…Tohma… I…"

Yukito's eyes closed and he collapsed in his arms.

"…I…I… killed someone, Tohma… I killed someone..."

Tohma's heart froze. All he could think of was Eiri who had cried the same words into his chest as he wept.

"...Tohma.. I saw him… I saw… I was… I killed..." Yukito suddenly broke into a laugh.

Tohma didn't know if he heard the next two words, but he imagined… he imagined he heard.

_Shindou Shuichi._

000

(1) I'm not sure how big bullet holes are, and maybe a one yen coin is much too big. Just to be on the safe side though, I put down 'half a one yen coin' like my beta suggested (thanks D;!). I'm told snipers are uber, really, powerful… but, I wonder how big the holes they make are…


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